Dutch MPs on Tuesday voted in favour of a motion calling on the government to pressure Europe to ring-fence British nationals rights in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The motion was drawn up by CDA MP Pieter Omtzigt and D66 parliamentarian Kees Verhoeven and calls on the Dutch government to lobby Brussels to take the section on citizens’ rights out of the withdrawal agreement and make it a separate issue.

A majority of the Dutch parliament has just supported the motion! 💪 https://t.co/M05c8HgiVd

— Kees Verhoeven (@KeesVee) April 2, 2019

The3million, a group fighting for the rights of foreign nationals in the UK, said it hopes the Dutch decision ‘will be a catalyst for the European Council to declare its support in turn’.

The current non deal contingency plans for British citizens in the EU amount to little more than calling on member states to be generous, the organisation said.

The Netherlands has been praised by British nationals for its approach to Brexit and for developing an easy and automated system to apply for residency permits.

The IND immigration service has set up a special website to keep British nationals on top of developments and outlining what they need to do to regulate their stay.

In the event of a no deal situation, the ‘Dutch government will provide for a decent solution for your residence in the Netherlands after 29 March, 2019,’ the IND says, adding that the ‘conditions for obtaining new residence status are not yet known.’

In that eventuality, the IND says it will contact everyone, using the address in the central register, and tell them about what to do next.