FT: Brussels is not going to discuss London’s future trade agreement in 2017
LONDON, February 20. /Offset. TASS Maxim Ryzhkov/. EU authorities do not intend to discuss the topic of future trade agreements between the UK and the EU in the upcoming negotiations on the terms Brexit.
To raise this issue, as reported Sunday night on its website, the Financial Times, the EU has no plans, at least until next Christmas (25 December).
In Brussels, the newspaper notes, intend to refuse in any negotiations involving a trade issue, as long as no progress would be made in two issues. The first relates to the payment of the British side of the invoice in €60 billion for failure to comply with its earlier commitments under the various treaties as a result of exit from the community.
The second is devoted to the rights of citizens of member countries of the European Union, now living in the UK on the basis of the current intra-EU freedom of movement of labour. Because of the uncertainty of the situation with the legality of their status hypothetically they could face expulsion from the territory of the Kingdom after Brexit.
This approach, according to the newspaper, adheres to the chief negotiator of the EU Brexit Michel Barnier, the position of which is a big hindrance for the implementation of British purpose to conclude a trade agreement with the EU until the end of 2018.
The Guardian claims that “a move aimed at postponing trade negotiations, lays the groundwork for the confrontation with high stakes” from the very beginning of dialogue about the conditions of exit from the community. The newspaper reports that British Minister for Brexit David Davis “wants all the elements of a Brexit was considered in parallel,” said Barnier that “his phased plan for negotiations does not look practical.”