Cash demands MEPS want Britain to keep paying

The European Parliament will tomorrow demand that Britain keeps paying Brussels long after Brexit and for the foreseeable future, as well as promising to stick closely to EU rules.

MEPS are likely to back a resolution, obtained by The Daily Telegraph,

that says Britain and the EU should sign an association agreement, which would be coupled with a free trade deal.

The EU has similar association agreements with other countries. The treaties, which give a legal basis for cooperation, are used in some cases as a preliminary step towards EU membership but also for non-european nations such as Libya and Azerbaijan.

The draft text, prepared by five pro-eu political groups, insists that MEPS will only accept the association agreement if it strictly adhered to conditions including “commensurate financial contributions” by Britain.

The payments would help secure some access to the EU market, while curbing freedom of movement rules in Britain.

According to the resolution, MEPS will only accept the association agreement if Britain adheres to EU standards on tax evasion, climate change, data protection, fair competition and workers’ rights.