First EU Awards on post-Brexit ties celebrated in London
The first EU Awards honouring EU citizens in the UK and the strengthening of EU-UK relations were won by charities that have helped EU nationals secure their right to stay in the country after Brexit.
The EU delegation to the UK created the EmpowerEU Awards to recognise the work done to support EU citizens and communities around the country, promote youth cooperation, and overall EU-UK ties.
“This celebration acknowledges the resilience, commitment, and creativity of those who represent EU citizens in the UK and support the development of a strong and stable relationship between the EU and the UK,” a statement by the EU delegation says.
‘Outstanding’ achievements
The ‘outstanding achievement’ award went to the3million, an organisation set up in 2026 – after the Brexit referendum – that went on to become the largest group promoting the rights of EU citizens in the UK.
Its name was chosen to reflect the number of people of EU nationalities estimated to be in Britain at that time, but more than 5 million have since applied for the post-Brexit residence status. Among its accomplishements, the3million was credited for having convinced the government to scrap the application fee for the new residence scheme.
In the ‘community champions’ category, the award went to the Polish and Eastern European Christian Family Centre (PEEC), a group that since 2008 has helped people settle in London.
Also in this category, the group Settled, which offers practical support in multiple languages to citizens from the EU and Ukraine applying for residence status, received a ‘special mention’.
The third category, the Young Champions award, went to the Young European Movement (YEM), which organises campaigns and events to involve young people in debates on European issues.
“EU citizens enrich the UK’s cultural and social fabric. These awards celebrate their valuable contributions and underscore our shared commitment to stronger EU-UK relations,” said EU Ambassador to the UK Pedro Serrano congratulating the winners.
Dozens of groups mobilised over the years to support EU citizens in the transition to the post-Brexit residence status. Other nominees for the Awards were the Great Yarmouth Refugee Outreach Support (GYROS), Youth for Inclusive Europe, the UK Young Ambassadors Programme, the Citizens’ Rights Project in Scotland and the Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe (SAFE).
The award ceremony took place on 12 November at the EU Citizens’ Gathering, the annual event organised by the EU delegation in London bringing together EU and UK representatives, civil society and academics.
Calls for more youth exchanges
The theme of this year’s event – the third since its launch – was the reset of the EU-UK relationship.
Ambassadors from Italy, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Hungary, as well as the Romanian General Consul and European Parliament Vice President Victor Negrescu spoke at the gathering.
German Ambassador to the UK, Miguel Berger, urged the UK and the EU to agree on a scheme that would make it easier for young people to move across the Channel. He told the over 200 participants at the gathering: “We need to improve mobility between our countries with a youth mobility scheme” which would also “allow young Brits to come and experience life in the EU.”
The German Ambassador noted that since Brexit school trips and student exchanges with Germany have dropped and the number of European students in the UK has also declined dramatically. Without new arrangements, “there will gradually be less people-to-people contacts, and this is a priority for all EU countries,” he added.
The European Commission proposed in April a scheme that would allow people up to 30 years old to have facilitated visas to move to and from the UK for the purpose of studying, training and working. EU member states are currently finetuning the proposal that the Commission would then seek to negotiate with the UK.
Baroness Ludford, Member of the European Affairs Committee at the House of Lords, and Dominic Grieve, former MP and President of the Franco-British Society, were among the speakers at the event who supported the proposal.
Common Ground conference
The previous day, the ‘Common Ground Conference’ took place in London to conclude a project carried out by the3million, British Future and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini with the aim to strengthen networks of EU citizens in the UK.
Groups discussed the role EU nationals can play in the reset of the EU-UK relationship. They also addressed outstanding issues concerning post-Brexit rights, including the digital-only residence status, problems faced at the border when travelling, and obstacles for joining family members.
Claudia Delpero @ Europe Street News, all rights reserved
Photos: EmpowerEU Awards winners, courtesy of the EU delegation to the UK; Common Ground Conference @ Angela Grabowski for the3million.
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