The EU wants in working order to start negotiations for the release of the UK, the Brexit. Saturday, April 29, the 27 heads of state and government adopted the strategic lines at a summit in Brussels. Seven points emerge.
The negotiations Brexit guidelines were adopted on Saturday “unanimously” and with applause by the 27 heads of state and government of the EU met in Brussels without the United Uni.Voici therefore the general guidelines, to guide the chief negotiator for the EU Brexit, the French Michel Barnier, in his discussions with London. The final withdrawal agreement must be finalized before the 29th March, 2019.
These trading guidelines will be “updates” throughout the process, to be adjusted and enhanced.
Avoid Chaos
The EU wants “orderly exit” from the UK to avoid “all Uncertainties” and “disturbances” due to Brexit. The 27 wish their neighbor remains, after her divorce, a “close partner” .
No to the card privileges
The Europeans insist that the future status of third countries of the UK, which will be released from its obligations vis-à-vis the EU, can not give him the same rights and benefits as that of a Member State the EU.
The four “fundamental freedoms” of the EU – free movement of persons , goods, services and capital – are indivisible and 27 exclusive access to the European market limited to certain sectors.
The first divorce
The 27 insist that we must first address the issues of divorce before negotiating an agreement commercial. It feels particularly impossible to solve these two issues in 18 months. The United Kingdom would have liked these two subjects addressed in parallel.
The issue of “future relationship” can be addressed during the two years if “sufficient progress” are observed on the withdrawal agreement.
Citizens’ rights
The 27 want to settle the fate of the approximately 3 million EU nationals living in the UK , and that of reciprocity for the million Britons resident in the EU. The Brexit raises a whole series of questions about them, such as the right of residence or the recognition of qualifications, the right to employment or pensions, or the type of social protection.
The bill of divorce
The “pay check” by London to leave the EU is considered one of the thorniest issues. You will be asked in London to settle the accounts of all its financial commitments, based on their participation in different programs and European funds. A comprehensive bill will be presented, including the commitments made through the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which runs until 2020 – beyond the planned Brexit 29 March 2019 at the latest.
The financial commitments made by the United Kingdom are estimated at 60 billion euros by the Europeans.
North Ireland
The question of the border between Ireland, a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland , British province, is the third priority of the Europeans. “The solution will not be easy to find,” concedes a European diplomat. Dublin has already warned against a return to the bloody conflict in Northern Ireland, to which the agreement of the ‘Friday’ of 10 April 1998 had ended.
At the request of Dublin, the other 26 EU countries have endorsed the idea of an automatic accession of Northern Ireland to the EU, once Brexit is finalized, assuming under the 1998 Agreement of a reunification of the island.
Gibraltar
This territory under British administration since 1713, in the extreme south of the Iberian Peninsula, is regularly claimed by Madrid . According to the guidelines of the 27, no agreement on a future relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom could not be applied in Gibraltar without an agreement between Madrid and London.
