The UK Government and European Commission published a joint statement on 22 December following the 17th meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement’s Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee, held in London on 18 December. Officials welcomed progress on the so-called “true and extra cohort” fix enacted in the 2025 Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which clarifies lawful residence for certain EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) holders.
However, both sides voiced anxiety over the slow conversion of pre-settled status to full settled status. The EU noted that “significant numbers” of EU nationals have yet to secure permanent residence, while the UK raised worries about some member states’ document issuance and refusal rates for UK nationals.
![UK-EU Citizens’ Rights committee flags automation concerns and EUSS gaps]()
The committee heard civil-society testimony that many automated status extensions have not yet filtered through to landlords and employers using the digital ‘right-to-work’ service, resulting in continued ID checks and, in some cases, rental refusals. The EU also sought assurances that the second phase of border-data automation will incorporate “necessary procedural protections.”
At this juncture, VisaHQ’s specialised visa and document advisory service can help both EU nationals in the UK and UK citizens in Europe understand which residency evidence they still need, arrange any supporting paperwork, and track application milestones. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) gives employers and individuals live updates on changing requirements and offers fast document couriering to avoid the delays highlighted by the committee.
For employers the message is clear: HR teams should not assume every EU employee on pre-settled status has automatically transitioned. Routine right-to-work audits before April 2026 remain critical. Equally, UK outbound assignees in the EU could face processing bottlenecks until member-state workflows catch up. The committee will reconvene in spring 2026, but corporate mobility managers are urged to run compliance clinics early in the new year.
However, both sides voiced anxiety over the slow conversion of pre-settled status to full settled status. The EU noted that “significant numbers” of EU nationals have yet to secure permanent residence, while the UK raised worries about some member states’ document issuance and refusal rates for UK nationals.
The committee heard civil-society testimony that many automated status extensions have not yet filtered through to landlords and employers using the digital ‘right-to-work’ service, resulting in continued ID checks and, in some cases, rental refusals. The EU also sought assurances that the second phase of border-data automation will incorporate “necessary procedural protections.”
At this juncture, VisaHQ’s specialised visa and document advisory service can help both EU nationals in the UK and UK citizens in Europe understand which residency evidence they still need, arrange any supporting paperwork, and track application milestones. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-kingdom/) gives employers and individuals live updates on changing requirements and offers fast document couriering to avoid the delays highlighted by the committee.
For employers the message is clear: HR teams should not assume every EU employee on pre-settled status has automatically transitioned. Routine right-to-work audits before April 2026 remain critical. Equally, UK outbound assignees in the EU could face processing bottlenecks until member-state workflows catch up. The committee will reconvene in spring 2026, but corporate mobility managers are urged to run compliance clinics early in the new year.
