‘EU united as Brexit talks move to the second stage’ –Tusk
THE European Union will begin “exploratory” discussions with Theresa May to get more “clarity” on what the Government wants from the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the union, the European Council president has said.
Donald Tusk also insisted that the other 27 EU countries would remain united as Brexit talks move on to phase two, from next year.
At a Brussels press conference, he said: “As for the framework for future relations, it is now time for internal EU27 preparations and exploratory contacts with the UK to get more clarity on their vision.
“On that basis, we should adopt guidelines and start negotiations next year. I trust that the unity on the EU side will continue.”
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker praised Mrs May as a “tough, smart, polite and friendly negotiator” and revealed he spent “many days and indeed nights thrashing out all the problems” in phase one.
He added: “Now it’s up to us to draft a Withdrawal Agreement together with our British friends and I hope that this withdrawal treaty will be approved and by the European Parliament and by the House (of Commons) in London.”
Mr Tusk said 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.
“It is still realistic and of course dramatically difficult,” he said. “For sure, the second phase will be more demanding, more challenging than the first phase.”
Meanwhile, Mr Juncker said he was sure a withdrawal agreement would be concluded by October, to give it time for ratification by parliaments.
He said: “We have now a political text putting together what we agreed upon and indicating where we still have to agree. This will be done in the course of the next weeks. Our aim is to have it ratified after October 2018. I am convinced that exactly that will be done.
In the meantime the commission in close co-operation with the member states will organise five or six seminars dedicated to specific issues where we have to consult member states in order to know exactly where the intentions lie. I think the real negotiations on the second phase will start in March next year.I cannot say when these negotiations will be concluded.”