BREXIT TALKS OPEN IN ROW

EU: Pay-up before trade deal

BREXIT talks finally start tomorrow – with Britain and the EU still arguing about what to discuss.

Brussels has said it will only negotiate on trade with the UK once “significant progress” is made towards agreeing an exit payment of up to £88billion.

But Britain says it has been “crystal clear” that both withdrawal and future relations should be agreed at the same time.

Brexit Secretary David Davis will meet with the European Commission’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier tomorrow morning.

They will hold more than seven hours of official talks.

The Commission said: “The opening of negotiations at political level next week will focus on issues related to citizens’ rights, the financial settlement, the Northern Irish border and other separation issues, as part of the sequenced approach to the talks.

“Both sides will also discuss the structure of the negotiations and the issues that need to be addressed over the coming months.”

But the UK says Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty states ‘divorce talks’ should take account of a departing member state’s future relationship with the bloc.

A Department for Exiting the EU spokesman said: “We have been crystal clear about our approach to these negotiations.

“As we set out in the Article 50 letter, our view is that withdrawal agreement and terms of the future relationship must be agreed alongside each other.

“As the EU has itself said, ‘nothing is agreed, until everything is agreed’.”

The Government said its primary focus is on the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and Brits living on the continent.

The spokesman added: “In particular, we want to move ahead on securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU. We want to end the anxiety facing four million citizens.

“That has always been our first aim and that is what we will do.”

The first day of formal Brexit negotiations follows “talks about talks” between Commission officials and British civil servants last week.

Following tomorrow’s meeting, talks will continue on a monthly basis throughout the summer.

It is thought the EU will move on to discussing a trade deal in October, if enough progress is made.