May hails green light for second phase of Brexit talks
THERESA May has hailed the agreement by EU leaders to give the green light for the second phase of Brexit talks to begin as an “important step” on the road to a “smooth and orderly” withdrawal.
The momentous move was agreed in a meeting of the leaders of the 27 remaining EU states lasting less than half an hour in Brussels, in the Prime Minister’s absence.
Guidelines agreed at the European Council summit revealed that the EU expects Britain to remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and permit freedom of movement during a transition period expected to last two years after the official date of Brexit in March 2019.
European Council president Donald Tusk announced the decision on Twitter: “EU leaders agree to move on to the second phase of £Brexit talks. Congratulations PM @theresa-may.”
Speaking in her Maidenhead constituency, Mrs May told the Press Association: “This is an important step on the road to delivering the smooth and orderly Brexit that people voted for in June of last year.
“The UK and the EU have shown what can be achieved by commitment and perseverance on both sides.
“I am pleased that it has been agreed that we should make rapid progress on an implementation period, which will give certainty to businesses and to individuals. There is still more to do but we are well on the road to delivering a Brexit that will make Britain strong, prosperous and secure.”
Mrs May said talks on Britain’s future relationship with the EU would begin “straight away”.
“We will set up and negotiate a new trade deal with the European Union but also we will be negotiating trade deals with countries around the world,” she said.
But at a news conference in Brussels, Mr Tusk warned it would be “dramatically difficult” to get both a withdrawal deal and an agreement on a future trade relationship done by Brexit day on March 29 2019.
Mrs May left the two-day summit early after winning applause from the other leaders as she assured them on Thursday evening of her determination to see Brexit through despite this week’s defeat in the House of Commons.
The EU position set out in the guidelines makes clear that any transition period agreed by Brussels “must be in the interest of the Union, clearly defined and precisely limited in time”.
Under the proposals, the UK will be required to follow the EU rule book in its entirety – including laws adopted during the transition period – while playing no part in the decision-making processes of the European institutions.
And the guidelines make clear that Britain will be expected to observe the single market’s “four freedoms” of movement of goods, services, people and capital during the period, expected to begin on March 29 2019.
During the transition, the guidelines state, “all existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures will ... apply, including the competence of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
“As the United Kingdom will contin-