Spotlight: MEPs discuss rights of Europeans living in Britain ahead of Brexit talks

Britain must obey laws of the European Union (EU) on free movement until it leaves the bloc, EU lawmakers stressed in a plenary here on Thursday.

This came amid reports that British Prime Minister Theresa May is to end automatic rights given to EU nationals to stay in Britain when she triggers Article 50 soon.

The House of Lords voted in favor of an amendment to guarantee the rights of EU citizens on Wednesday. Yet, since the Brexit referendum, Britain has so far refused to offer any formal reassurances to the 3.1 million EU citizens living in the nation, insisting it could harm its effort to secure the rights of the 1.2 million British nationals estimated to be living in other EU countries.

In a late-night debate with the European Commission on Wednesday, the bloc's executive arm, a majority of members of European Parliament (MEPs) urged that the free movement rights of EU nationals must be ensured.

There are a growing number of reports that it is increasingly difficult for EU citizens to apply for citizenship and that some living in the country for years have even been asked to leave, MEPs argued.

British MEP Claude Moraes referred to the 85-page forms required to apply for British citizenship and said that 28 percent of EU citizens who requested British citizenship since the referendum had their application rejected or declared invalid.

"I do not have the time here to recount the stories of heartbreak and stifling bureaucracy, but we must ask if this amounts to a UK policy or negligence of those individuals and families who we are legally obliged to protect," he said.

The lawmaker added that although the European Parliament will hold hearings to gather evidence, the European Commission was able to act right away.

"Like many other MEPs, I receive heartfelt emails from citizens living in the UK and across Europe," said another British MEP Catherine Bearder, "They are our doctors, our nurses, shop keepers, students, teachers and others. They are not political bargaining chips."

Another British MEP Jean Lambert said EU citizens in Britain resented the government refusing to guarantee their rights: "They feel it's insulting, it's demeaning and it is."

British media said Britain would establish a "cut-off date" of around March 15. EU citizens who are already in Britain and others who come before that date would have their rights protected -- providing the EU agreed to the same status for its citizens living in the EU.

British MEP Anthea McIntyre said May valued the contributions made by EU citizens in Britain. "That is why securing the status of EU nationals residing in the UK and of UK nationals residing in the EU is a top priority for the prime minister. Any delay in reaching guarantees on this issue is a consequence of timing and procedure, not of political will."

However, many MEPs also underlined that EU citizens should not be used as "bargaining chips" in the Brexit negotiations.

"Free movement is one of the EU's basic rights," said Vera Jourova, EU commissioner in charge of justice, consumers and gender equality, making it clear that as long as Britain is a member state, all EU rights and obligations continue to apply.

She agreed that EU citizens deserve certainty and fairness, but reminded MEPs that there will be "no negotiation (with British authorities) before notification" of their intention to leave the EU.

Dr Fabian Amtenbrink, from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, said a comprehensive free trade agreement, would be the most likely outcome of the talks: "There is no such thing as a single blueprint or model for a free trade agreement."

The European Parliament said in a press release that it is and will be keeping a close eye on how Brexit will affect people and regularly holds hearings with experts to discuss its impacts on different domains. Enditem