On Monday 19 June, the European Union and the United Kingdom officially started negotiations to lead to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, theoretically at the end of March 2019. The negotiators of both sides, Michel Barnier of France for the EU and Brexit Minister David Davis for the British government, started these talks at 11 o’clock on Monday morning and at a joint press conference that evening, announced that they had agreed on the structure of the talks and the priority matters to resolve, such as the question of the rights of European and British citizens.
Barnier summed it up as a “useful first session”, at which he and his opposite number had agreed on the dates, organisation and priorities of the talks. He began the press conference by saying that Davis had also agreed to the idea of settling the uncertainty caused by Brexit as soon as possible and resolving matters related to the citizens, financial aspects and Ireland, before moving on to defining the future relationship with London.
Davis confirmed that his government’s priority was to remedy the uncertainty as soon as possible, particularly on citizens’ rights, on which he feels it will be possible to make swift progress; however, the British negotiator also stressed that Brexit could not be concluded without having discussed and taken account of the future relationship. He also swept aside any contradiction with the EU and the positions adopted by the 27, also dismissing the fact that London has so far failed to make its voice heard on this point. As things turn out, negotiations will take place in the order called for by the EU, which wanted a precise sequence.
On the terms of the withdrawal, Davis was very clear, reiterating that despite differences of opinion within the current government, London did not intend to remain in the single market or customs union and would, as anticipated, be seeking a free-trade deal.
For his part, the EU negotiator reiterated that a fair and balanced agreement was possible and would be considerably better than no deal. Even so, although the atmosphere between the two men was one of courtesy on Monday, Barnier is in no mood to make concessions. “The United Kingdom is leaving the EU, not the other way round”, he said. “Everybody has to take their responsibilities and accept the consequences”, he stressed.
Basically, the negotiations will take up one week a month, with the rest of the month given over to working on proposals and reporting back to the parties concerned. Three working groups will be set up: citizens, financial aspects and other dossiers. However, there will be no working group on Ireland, a highly sensitive dossier that will have to be negotiated at the highest level. As regards the timetable, the next round of talks will be held on or around 17 July, then 28 August. On Monday, Barnier also pledged entirely unprecedented transparency for the general public and media on the content of these discussions.
In a statement on Monday morning, Barnier pointed out that the purpose of the talks was, as a priority, to lift the uncertainty caused by Brexit, first and foremost for the citizens, beneficiaries of European policies and regarding the borders, in particular the Irish borders.
Davis said that London’s objective was to build a strong and special partnership with the EU. Speaking the day after another terrorist attack in London, the British negotiator also said that “it is at times like these that we remember the values and resolutions we share with our closest allies in Europe”. “There is more that unites us than that divides us”.
The negotiations opened on Monday, with the EU still in doubt in recent days as to the real intentions of the British government and over its current fragility. Speaking to the press, Barnier said that there is currently no contact in sight other than Davis.
Barnier warned London several times of the risks of failing to reach an agreement in a timely fashion. The EU negotiator intends that sufficient progress be made on the aspects of the divorce concerning the rights of European and British citizens, financial aspects and the Northern Irish border by autumn 2017 to be able to move to the next phase: the future relationship between the EU and London. According to the timetable of Article 50 of the Treaty of the EU, everything must theoretically be negotiated by October 2018 in order to allow time for the necessary ratifications and the United Kingdom to leave the EU just before the European elections of 2019.
European Parliament vigilant
At the European Parliament, President Antonio Tajani and the Parliament's Coordinator for Brexit, the Belgian Liberal Guy Verhofstadt, highlighted the need to protect citizens.
“The European Parliament's position is clear. Preserving the rights of the millions of European citizens concerned by Brexit, guaranteeing the conclusions of the Good Friday Agreement for Northern Ireland and honouring the financial commitments made by the British government will be the key elements for the European Parliament to give its approval to any withdrawal agreement”, Tajani said. Any agreement on Brexit will require the approval of the European Parliament to enter into force.
Verhofstadt welcomed the fact that the timetable for the talks, which is already “fairly tight”, is being respected.
On behalf of the ECR Group, Syed Kamall, the leader of the British Conservatives who campaigned for the UK to leave, said that it was important that the talks have started. A calm, constructive and cooperative approach to these talks will bring a maximum of progress in the coming weeks and months, he commented. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)