May’s ‘generous offer’ to EU

– Britain and the EU begin tough Brexit talks today, trying to complete one of the most complex negotiations in history in less than two years.

The aim is to get EU leaders to agree at a summit in October that there is “sufficient progress” on the divorce to move on to future ties.

The issue most likely to torpedo negotiations is Britain’s bill for leaving the bloc.

Brussels first mentioned a figure of €60 billion (R861 billion) but it is now closer to €100 billion, EU sources said.

The EU says Britain must honour its contributions to the bloc’s budget, which has already been agreed up to 2020, as well as commitments to development programmes for poorer member states.

But the true figure could be far lower, as the €100 billion does not account for tens of billions that Britain is set to get back in shared assets and rebates.

The EU wants to secure the rights of more than three million Europeans living in Britain, and over one million Britons living on the continent.

Currently, Europeans have the right to live, work, study and claim welfare benefits in Britain, as they do anywhere in the 28-nation union. Prime Minister Theresa May is reportedly set to make a “generous offer” on the issue early in the talks.

Speculation has also mounted that she could now seek a softer Brexit, which involves staying in either the EU’s single market or customs union.

But EU officials are sceptical that May’s position has changed, just as they are doubtful about the feasibility of either option. – AFP