Outrage as EU tells UK they don’t want them to run criminal checks on 3m citizens seeking permanent residence as David Davis and Michel Barnier still at odds over Brexit talks
The EU’s negotiating team warned that such a check is in flagrant breach of EU free movement rules
BRAZEN EU officials want to block the UK from running criminal checks on 3 million Europeans hoping to stay in Brexit Britain – as divorce talks reach a bitter deadlock.
UK officials today revealed Brussels is furious with the government over its wish to vet EU citizens before allowing them permanent residency beyond March 2019.
They claim such “systematic” checks breach EU laws.
A UK official admitted that even if an agreement is reached, hundreds of Europeans with a criminal record may be allowed to stay because the threshold for deportation under EU law is so high.
Only serious offenders such as murderers could go.
Under UK law, Ministers can deport non-EU citizens if they are jailed for over a year.
Furious Tory backbencer Jacob Rees Mogg slammed Brussels for “putting ideology before safety”.
The row emerged as one of a number of “disagreements” as both sides ended a second round of fraught negotiations on the terms of Brexit.
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The astonishing row came as four days of fraught Brexit negotiations at the European Commission’s HQ ended in acrimony.
- EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier demanded Britain spell out its position on a financial settlement by August – warning delays threatened a Brexit deal.
- The UK blasted the EU as it declared British ex-pats would lose free movement after 2019 and would only be given residency rights in the EU country they are currently living in.
- Britain accused the EU of ‘judicial imperialism’ over its demands for the European Court of Justice to have oversight of any deal on citizens’ rights after 2019.
- British officials admitted the UK and EU were only half way towards an agreement on citizens’ rights.
- The EU warned that millions of British tourists would lose their right to free or discounted healthcare after Brexit as the UK would be dumped out of the 'EHIC' scheme.
- The UK criticized the EU for failing to offer British ex-pats voting rights, as they declared Europeans would be allowed to keep their voting rights here.
In a tense press conference today, Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted progress had been made over the past week.
But he said it was essential the EU became more “flexible” in the discussions.
Alongside him, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier demanded Britain produce a position paper on a divorce bill by the end of August.
He added that it was inconceivable any agreement on citizens rights must be underpinned by the European courts – saying it wasn’t a choice but an “obligation”.
British officials said such it was “unprecedented” for Brussels to suggest the European Court of Justice should have any role in a country outside of the EU.
In a sign of the tension, David Davis at one point in the press conference used Mr Barnier’s catchphrase to quip that the “clock was ticking” on the negotiations.
The unamused Frenchman immediately countered: “Yes it is”.
The two went for a working lunch of scallops and lamb at the UK ambassador’s residence in Brussels in a bid to settle their differences.
But in a notable break from the diplomacy of recent months, the government issued a formal statement criticizing the EU’s approach.
An official said: “We still have doubts about the EU’s plans and their commitment to upholding citizens’ rights.
“The UK has put a serious offer on the table, but there are significant gaps in the EU’s offer.
“What we’re offering EU citizens living in the UK is fair. We expect UK nationals living in the EU to be treated with the same respect.”
Separately Mr Barnier claimed Britain will trigger an "explosion" of outrage across Europe if it reneges on commitments to plough billions into the EU.
In evidence to a Lords committee that emerged yesterday he also warned Britain would never get a trade deal unless it agreed to honour commitments over environmental and social standards.