EU boss Guy Verhofstadt insists Britain WILL rejoin bloc in future – as he fights for Brits to have EU citizenship

EU BOSS Guy Verhofstadt has insisted the next generation of Brits WILL rejoin the bloc again after Brexit.

The Brexit coordinator for the European Parliament, who is in town for talks with Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, claimed there will be a group who "want to come back" into the EU after leaving.

He told Radio 4 this morning: "I think that will happen.

"There will be a generation who will say 'what have we done?' and want to come back.

"Maybe I will not see it in my life, but it will happen."

It comes as the PM and EU prepare to begin trade talks within weeks, as Britain storms towards the January 31 exit.

Mr Verhofstadt said he'd received assurances from the Brexit Secretary after meetings yesterday that EU citizens would have a "grace period" after Brexit where they would not be deported - even if they failed to register as a settled citizen in time.

All of them will be able to access paperwork proving their right to stay too, he revealed.

Maybe I will not see it in my life, but it will happen

Guy Verhofstadt

Brits should be able to apply to keep their EU citizenship as well, even after we leave, he added.

"I [was] in favour of this from day one," he said, opening the door to people with links to Europe to keep the benefits of staying in the bloc.

"The EU citizenship has to be possible for a European living somewhere else in the world," he added.

"Citizenship is not limited to a territorial definition."

The former European Parliament boss said today that it would be "difficult" to have a huge trade deal in place by the end of 2020 - even though the PM has said he will not extend the transition period any further.

Yesterday Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel warned the bloc had to see Brexit as a "wake up call" and must change to survive.

Today Mr Verhofstadt added: "If there is one positive thing of Brexit, there's a feeling on the continent of 'oh no, we don't want to collapse the EU in a world dominated by China, and India'."

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