Britain told full control of border must wait until 2021

EU FREEDOM of movement rules must continue to apply in Britain during the Brexit transition period and until 2021, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator, yesterday warned.

Mr Verhofstadt insisted Britain would not be able to fully take back control of its borders until the transition was over, meaning an extra two years of unlimited EU immigration after Brexit Day on March 29 2019.

Warning that the transition period would not allow “cherry-picking”, he said any changes to immigration rules “would only apply after the Withdrawal Agreement and the transition period”. That would push back, by just under two years, the cut-off date for EU citizens to qualify for special residency status allowing them to live and work in Britain indefinitely.

“On content, there is no discussion,” Mr Verhofstadt told MEPS in the constitutional affairs committee, “it will be the whole acquis [the EU’S body of law] and nothing else.”

His comments backed demands made by EU-27 diplomats in draft instructions for Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief Brexit negotiator.

Speaking in the European Parliament in Brussels, Mr Verhofstadt also raised the possibility of the transition period, which is meant to start immediately after Brexit Day, lasting for longer than 18 months.

“It is not a question of religion that it has to end on 31 December,” he said, suggesting an extension of a few months would be allowed and noting that MEPS would accept a transition period of up to three years.

Negotiations over the transition period, which will effectively freeze Britain’s EU membership while stripping it of voting rights and representation in Britain, are expected to start next month. The EU will demand it ends in December 2020 and that Britain obey all EU laws during the period.