New Europeans UK, founded in 2013 by former MP Roger Casale and Tamara Flanagan OBE to safeguard the rights of EU citizens in the UK and Britons living in the EU has been awarded charitable status.
Beneficiaries of the charity’s work include EU citizens in the UK, many of whom are at risk of missing the 30 June deadline for ‘EU settled status’ – the guarantee of their right to remain in the UK long-term. New Europeans also supports the rights of Britons in the EU post Brexit.
Responding to the news, Dr Ruvi Ziegler, Chair of New Europeans UK and Associate Professor in International Refugee Law at the University of Reading, said:
“New Europeans has played a key role in making sure citizens do not pay the price of Brexit and has done so since well before the referendum with passion and commitment. I am delighted we can now further our mission as a registered charity and look forward to continuing to support EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU for many years to come.”
New Europeans was instrumental in securing unilateral guarantees from the UK government in the form of the EU settled status scheme. The organisation can also point to achievements for UK citizens in the EU such as the planned abolition of the 15 year rule, which barred long term residents abroad from voting.
Charitable status will allow the organisation to expand its advice and counselling work to all parts of the UK, and to develop its advocacy work including acting as the Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Citizens Rights.
Raluca Enescu, Manager of the Work Rights Centre in Manchester said:
“New Europeans helped me find my voice and secure my future in the UK. I am delighted the valuable work they do has been recognised by the charity commission as contributing to community cohesion.”
Jamie Cooke, Director of the RSA in Scotland said:
“EU citizens are hugely valued members of our communities. New Europeans Scotland looks forward to working closely with New Europeans UK to share expertise and build a stronger society.”
Eileen Chan Hu, Trustee of New Europeans UK and Trustee and Executive Director at CRAICNI in Belfast, said:
“This is a great day for New Europeans and good news for EU citizens in the UK and Britons abroad. New Europeans UK are great bridge builders and I look forward to developing our mission and profile in Northern Ireland.”
Michael Arapis, Honorary Treasurer of New Europeans UK, who is based in Cardiff, said:
“This is a very important development for the rights of the over 4 million EEA Citizens in Wales and across the UK. This decision will allow us to build further on the foundations laid over the last 8 years of work by New Europeans UK.”
Commenting on the award of charitable status, Roger Casale, CEO of New Europeans UK, said:
“This is an important milestone in our development and an opportunity to thank all of those who have helped build New Europeans work and profile over the last eight years. In particular, I would like to thank my co-founder Tamara Flanagan OBE, as well as Bella Kosmala, currently on secondment to the GLA, and our outstanding team of case-workers and project officers based at our HQ in London.”
“I would also like to thank the many individuals who played such an active role in supporting our development over many years including Jonathan Scheele, former Head of the EU Commission in London, Nazek Ramadan of Migrant Voice, Pietro Molle of the Italian Comites, and the many philanthropic bodies and institutions that support our work including Trust for London and the London Community Response Fund.”