EU gives UK five days to solve issues
The EU has piled further pressure on Britain to settle its “divorce bill” and the fate of EU citizens after Brexit — demanding answers within five days.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Britain on Wednesday hit back at British foreign minister Boris Johnson’s remark that the bloc could “go whistle” on the issue.
“I am not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking,” France’s Barnier told a news conference when asked about Mr Johnson’s comments on the money the EU expects Britain to pay when withdrawing.
Mr Barnier also urged Britain to send Brussels its negotiating position on all key issues ahead of the second round of formal Brexit talks with his British counterpart David Davis, which start Monday in Brussels.
He added that following its vote last year to leave the EU, Britain must finally admit that it needed to foot the bill for its departure, estimated by EU officials at around 100 billion euros.
The first phase of the Brexit talks are focusing on divorce issues — the exit bill, the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and vice versa, and the border in Northern Ireland. The EU says it will only start discussing future relations with the UK, including a possible trade deal, after “sufficient progress” has been made on those topics, hopefully later this year.