Following the hearing on the #EUGreenCard proposal which took place at the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee on 18 March, New Europeans has embarked on a series of briefings of national parliaments of EU member states to promote the initiative.
At a press conference at the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Roger Casale, Founder and CEO of New Europeans said:
” The Green Card is a solution to two problems that have not yet been resolved in the talks between Britain and the EU about citizens’ rights post Brexit. On the one hand, EU27 citizens in the UK need a physical proof of status to protect them from discrimination and on the other British citizens in the EU need to be given back their right to freedom of movement as with the EU residents of an EU member state.”
The conference as organised by On.Massimo Ungaro from the Partito Democratico, who was elected to represent Italians abroad. He was joined by his PD colleague On.Piero de Luca, On.Alessandro Fusacchia from Piu-Europa and Senator Rafelle Fantetti of Forza Italia. Ministro Giovanni Brauzzi from New Europeans Rome also attended and spoke at the conference.
All the Italian law-makers present expressed strong support for the #EUGreenCard proposal.
On. Piero de Luca said: “The Green Card represents a great step forward in the way we think about free movement and EU citizenship. For the first time we would recognise a kind of intermediate status between a third country national and a citizen of an EU member state.”
also placed the Green Card in broader context and made reference to the need to develop a more robust approach to European citizenship and free movement rights:
“We invented European citizenship at Maastricht 25 years ago. Nobody at that time could have foresees an event like Brexit. But we have have to ask, why should the life of a British European citizen living in Italy be so tied to decisions taken by the UK government? The rights of EU citizens should be acquired rights – it shouldn’t be possible for them to be taken away.”
Senator Rafaelle Fantetti praised the proposal and offered his party’s full support:
“It is a brilliant initiative and much needed and it has my full support. Of course it is a little bit ironic that Italian and Europeans n the UK should have to have call for proof of status in the one European member state that does not have a system of identity cards, but it is necessary.”
Summing up. On Massimo Ungaro also made reference to the New Europeans #compromise proposal to break the deadlock over Brexit.
“I fully support the New Europeans compromise proposal, namely that the Government and Opposition should agree that the deal is passed in exchange for a confirmatory referendum. Even if the British then vote leave a second time, the million people on the streets of last Saturday show us that in 10, 20 or 50 years the Uk will return to he EU. We will be there to welcome them with open arms.”
At the end of the hearing, the MPs asked for prototype Green Cards to be issued to them and arrangements are being made for this to happen and for the cards to be handed over to the MPs at a special ceremony to take place on Europe Day,9 May.
Senator Fantetti has offered to set up a meeting with President Antonio Tajani for New Europeans so that Roger Casale, the Founder and CEO of New Europeans can present the proposal – the meeting is currently planned for 10 April.
