EU jargon buster

DO not let all that Brexit lingo defeat you — just a few terms will suffice.

FULL ALIGNMENT

THIS kicks in if the EU and the UK can’t agree how to avoid a hard border. London agrees to “align” Northern Ireland with EU single market and customs union rules. This would protect the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, North-south co-operation, and continued cross-border trade. Aligning rules is looser than keeping identical rules.

DIVORCE BILL

THE posh term is financial settlement. The UK is set to exit in March 2019. But in 2013 it signed up to seven years of EU contributions for 2014-2020. That leaves two years’ payments. Other commitments include the 2016 migrants’ deal with Turkey. The bill is expected to be about £35-39bn.

CITIZENS’ RIGHTS

ANY EU citizen living in the UK on ‘Brexit day’, March 29, 2019, will be allowed to stay in the UK with the same rights they have now. The same will apply for UK citizens living in EU states. Legal partners and children of those citizens will get the same rights.

HARD BREXIT HOPEFULLY this is less likely now given a breakthrough preliminary deal. Implied walking straight out of the single market and customs union. It would have meant a return of Irish Border controls.

JOHN DOWNING