May hosts Brexit negotiation talks

EU demands harden as UK’s split nears

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a “useful working dinner” with key EU Brexit negotiators, as the bloc hardens its position ahead of a summit to lay down its “red lines”.

May greeted European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker outside 10 Downing Street on Wednesday, ahead of their first face-to-face talks since she triggered the two-year process of withdrawing from the European Union.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also attended what Downing Street described afterwards as a “useful working dinner”, joined by Britain’s Brexit minister David Davis and finance minister Philip Hammond.

The EU has toughened its strategy, making new demands over financial services, immigration and the bills Britain must settle before ending its 44-year-old membership in the bloc.

Ahead of the meeting, May’s spokesman predicted the rights of EU citizens would be on the table, although Downing Street gave little detail of the dinner discussions.

“The PM had a constructive meeting this evening with President Juncker of the European Commission.

“Following the UK’s letter of notification under Article 50, she reiterated the UK’s commitment to achieving a deep and special partnership with the European Union,” a statement from the prime minister’s office said.

The EU’s latest draft negotiating guidelines, agreed on Monday by Barnier and European diplomats, point to months of difficult talks ahead as Brussels seeks to ensure Britain does not get a better deal outside the bloc than inside.

According to the document, seen by AFP, the other 27 EU countries will seek to hold Britain liable for the bloc’s costs for at least a year after it leaves in 2019 – longer than was previously proposed.

Britain will also be required to give EU citizens permanent residency after living there for five years, in a challenge for May’s Conservative government, which has vowed to limit immigration.

The guidelines recommend that Britain’s dominant finance industry will not necessarily be covered by any future trade deal with the EU and that it must also stick to the bloc’s rules if it wants easy access to EU markets.

May has committed to pulling Britain out of Europe’s single market to end free movement of EU citizens into Britain, but says she wants to form a new partnership with the bloc. — AFP

Following the UK’s letter of notification under Article 50, she reiterated the UK’s commitment to achieving a special partnership with the European Union.

UK Prime Minister’s office