The EU Council concurs the next half of Brexit talks can start up

The EU council has endorsed Theresa May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply’s Brexit
divorce deal.
REUTERS/Yves
Herman

• EU Council concurs that the next half of Brexit talks
  can start up.
• 27 other EU nations agree that « sufficient progress »
  has been made in Brexit divorce talks.
• Theresa May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply welcomes the settlement.
• Jean-Claude Juncker congratulates the « glorious work »
  of negotiators on all facets. 
• On the opposite hand, change talks are home to be delayed for months
  while May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply’s Cabinet concurs its station.

LONDON — The EU Council has formally agreed that negotiations to
start up on Britain’s future relationship with the EU after months
of talks on Britain’s divorce complaints.

Leaders of the 27 other EU nations met on Friday morning to
think whether or no longer there had been « sufficient progress » on divorce
talks in uncover to permit the next half of negotiations to start up.

EU Council president Donald Tusk tweeted his congratulations to
May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply on Friday morning.

He later added in a press convention that « sufficient
progress » would perhaps well even simply peaceable no longer had been carried out « with out the
cohesion of the E27, onerous work of Michel Barnier, and optimistic
effort of High Minister May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply. »

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker paid
tribute to the « glorious work » of negotiators on all facets and
described May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply as a « no longer easy, natty, smartly mannered » negotiator.

European leaders have agreed that Britain made sufficient progress on
the scheme forward for the Irish border, electorate rights and the so-known as
« divorce bill » to permit talks to progress to the next half.

May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply thanked Tusk, saying that at the recent time used to be an « foremost step
on the boulevard to handing over a tender and orderly Brexit and forging
our deep and special future partnership. »

Pointers published by the EU Council on Friday negate that
they’ll now be provocative to start up « preliminary and preparatory
discussions » on Britain’s future relationship. 

Tusk added that the EU soon will start up « exploratory
contacts » with Britain on its future relationship.

On the opposite hand, formal talks on a future change deal are home to be
delayed, with EU leaders peaceable unsure as to what May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply’s
authorities are hoping to attain, with an settlement handiest coming
after Britain has left.

« An settlement on a future relationship can handiest be finalised and
concluded once the UK has turn into a Third nation. »

This implies that corpulent change talks will no longer decide up underway till
March, factual eight months earlier than EU leaders desire a final deal to
be finalised and sent off to the European Parliament for
ratification.

The Dutch high minister Mark Rutte acknowledged that May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply must always home out
her plans soon.

« She’s maintaining her playing cards shut to her heart for the time being, which
I perceive on the next half and this will most possible be a understanding
negotiating tactic, » he acknowledged on Thursday.

« But I comprise we desire… to adore how she sees this future
relationship with the EU. It’s now for the UK to originate up its
mind. »

On the opposite hand, May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply is proof against agreeing an organization station by March,
amid fears that any obvious line at this stage will simply re-start
Cabinet tensions over Brexit.

May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply instantaneous European leaders at a summit in Brussels on Thursday
that she permitted that talks on an « implementation length, » which
is May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply’s different of time length for a transition length, must always draw first.

This pledge used to be reportedly met with a spherical of applause, led by
German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

« I factor in this is in primarily the most productive interests of the UK and the
European Union, » May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply acknowledged.

« A teach priority must always be settlement on the implementation
length in verbalize that we can bring higher straightforward job to agencies in
the UK and at some point of the 27. »

Brexit Secretary David Davis has suggested that Britain and the
EU would perhaps well even negotiate a « Canada plus plus » change deal. This may maybe maybe
own replicating the EU-Canada change deal (CETA) nonetheless with the
addition of an arrangement on companies and products.

A future change deal of that scope and comprehensiveness would
possible over five years to negotiate and would require
ratification from the national and regional parliaments of all EU
member states. CETA took seven years to finalise.

The Cabinet is decided to meet subsequent Tuesday to discuss for the first
time what they need from the Brexit « stop negate. »

Theresa
May perhaps maybe presumably well also simply and Jean-Claude Juncker.
Reuters

What has been agreed?

The EU has agreed that « sufficient progress » has been made on the
first half of Brexit talks in uncover to permit the next stage to
start up. Whereas Britain’s so-known as divorce deal has no longer been
finalised, the EU Council agreed that the UK had made sufficient
concessions for talks about Britain’s future relationship with
the EU to start up.

What occurs subsequent?

The EU and UK will now start up talks on a probable transition half
for the length after Britain leaves the EU. Beneath the plans
for the time being being suggest by all facets, Britain would leave
the EU in March 2019 nonetheless proceed to feature below the an identical change
and customs tips for at the least two years, while shedding vote casting
rights. The European Court of Justice is moreover inclined to withhold
jurisdiction over the UK at some point of this length. Beneath the guidelines
published at the recent time, the « corpulent aquis » of EU laws would proceed to
apply, at the side of controversially, freedom of circulate tips.
Beneath EU plans, once a transition is agreed, talks on Britain’s
future buying and selling relationship with the EU will then at last be in a location
to start up.