EU leaders warned on Friday that Britain's plans to protect the rights of European citizens post-Brexit risked leaving them worse off, after Prime Minister Theresa May made what she insisted was a "fair" offer.
"My first impression is the UK offer is below our expectations and this risks worsening the situation of our citizens in the UK," EU President Donald Tusk told a news conference after the second day of a Brussels summit.
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters that May's offer to EU leaders over dinner late yesterday was a "first step but this step is not sufficient".
The fate of around three million European citizens living in Britain after Brexit is one of the most contentious issues in the negotiations on Britain's withdrawal from the 28-member bloc, which began on Monday. One year after Britain voted to leave in the June 23 referendum, May promised that nobody would be forced to leave after Brexit, offering permanent rights over healthcare, education, welfare and pensions to Europeans who arrive before a cut-off date.
But she declined to say when that date would fall, offering only a window between March 29, 2017, when Britain triggered the Brexit process, and its expected departure two years later.
"It was a good start, but also not yet a breakthrough," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the EU's most powerful leader, adding that there was still a "long way to go". Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the proposal was "particularly vague".
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, speaking in Paris, said the offer was "the minimum", adding "this is actually something that should be taken for granted"."The mere fact that you won't be thrown out (of Britain) is not a convincing breakthrough, as far as I'm concerned," he said scathingly.But May defended the proposal, telling reporters at the end of the summit: "I remain of the view that this is a fair and serious offer.
"What we're saying is that those citizens from EU countries who have come to the United Kingdom, who have made their lives and their homes in the UK, will be able to stay and we will guarantee their rights in the United Kingdom." She added: "There are some differences between that and the proposal the European Commission put out and the matter will now go into the negotiations."
Leaders said they looked forward to seeing the more technical details when Britain publishes a formal paper on the issue on Monday.