May fails to ease EU worries

British Prime Minister Theresa May set out a plan yesterday to retain full access to the European Union’s single market for two years after Brexit, to try to reassure business and reset the tone of stalled negotiations with Brussels, but her proposals for such a transition, for meeting Britain’s financial obligations and for protecting EU citizens’ rights fell short of what the EU wanted.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier praised the speech for its ‘‘constructive spirit’’ but asked for more detail. The head of the European Parliament’s biggest group, the centre-right European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, said May’s speech had brought no more clarity. ‘‘I am even more concerned now,’’ he added.

In a speech in Florence, Italy, May appealed directly to EU leaders to unlock the talks, which have stalled over a series of issues, including the size of the bill Britain should pay as part of its divorce settlement.

Britain wants to move the talks forward and start addressing how a future relationship with the EU would work, a move May’s government says is vital if they want to find agreement on the divorce bill. But the EU has stood firm, refusing to discuss trading arrangements until ‘‘sufficient progress’’ is made on the first three issues – the financial settlement, the land border with EU member Ireland, and the protection of expatriates’ rights.

On the financial settlement, May said Britain would ‘‘honour commitments we have made during the period of our membership’’, but she did not mention the €20 billion figure reported in the days running up to the speech.