European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will travel to London on Wednesday 26 April for talks with UK Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss the Article 50 process, Commission spokesperson Mina Andreeva announced on Thursday 20 April.
This visit is specifically at the invitation of the UK prime minister and Juncker will be accompanied by Commission Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, the head of his private office, Martin Selmayr, and his diplomatic adviser, Richard Szostak.
Though the precise topics to be discussed have not been revealed, the spokesperson said on Thursday that the rights of citizens affected by Brexit would be central to the talks.
The visit to London comes immediately before an extraordinary meeting of the General Affairs Council, scheduled for 27 April, to prepare the European summit of 29 April at which the 27 member states will adopt their negotiating position. On 24 April, the sherpas from the 27 member states will meet once again to fine-tune the guidelines.
Tajani meets May. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani met May in London on Thursday 20 April. At a press briefing following the meeting, Tajani stated that the aim was to work for a good agreement. He said that the snap general election called by May for 8 June would provide continuity of government for the negotiations with the EU which will begin in earnest thereafter.
Tajani again set out the European Parliament’s position: - citizens’ rights must be respected and citizens treated equally and without discrimination; - a framework for the withdrawal of the country must be in place before the end of 2017 and discussions on the future relationship between the UK and the EU must then begin immediately.
Parliament adopted its position on 5 April in a resolution setting out its “red lines” in the forthcoming negotiations (see EUROPE 11762).
Commission negotiating directives leaked. On Thursday, Politico published a document setting out the points the Commission wants to include in its negotiating directives expected to be adopted on 2 May and forming the mandate for the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.
According to this document, the Commission wants to address the issue of citizens’ rights and wants clarity on who will be affected and what rights and guarantees will be given to citizens affected by Brexit.
The Commission also looks at the cost of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU and says that it wants the UK to pay for the relocation of European agencies. It underlines, too, that the UK’s financial obligations to the European budget and other funds “should be defined in euro”. It contains some suggestions on the method for calculating the withdrawal “bill”.
The document also broaches the issues of goods placed on the market and of the continuation of judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters. The final agreement should maintain the choices of law made before the withdrawal date and also ensure that the recognition and execution of national judicial decisions handed down before the said withdrawal date. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)