Brexit: United Kingdom and EU reach financial settlement

Brexit: United Kingdom and EU reach financial settlement
The Daily Telegraph's sources may be clear that a financial settlement has been reached, but the European Commission and the British Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) are refusing to confirm such an agreement.

The Daily Telegraph, the well known British broadsheet indicated, on Tuesday evening, that British and European negotiators have reached a financial settlement for Brexit. They appear to have settled upon a figure between 45 and 55 billion euros.

Two sources confirmed to the daily newspaper that the two parties reached agreement, at the end of last week, upon this issue. It has, for some months now been one of the main sticking points of the negotiations on the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. The Daily Telegraph, says that the final figure “will be between 45 and 55 billion euros”. This is based upon calculations produced by each side using “a jointly devised methodology”.

Up until now, the financial offer from the British government was around 20 billion euros. This proposal had been rejected by the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani. He had estimated the bill at between 50 and 60 billion euros.

Questioned by the AFP, the European Commission and the British Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) refused to confirm such an agreement. DExEU simply explained, in a brief e-mail message, “Intensive discussions between the United Kingdom and the European Commission will resume this week in Brussels” where “we will try to reach an agreement”.

Such an agreement is very significant progress in the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, which opened in June. The remaining 27 countries have made a financial settlement a prerequisite for opening discussions as to the future relationship between the EU and Britain, most significantly in terms of trade.

The Europeans are also demanding “sufficient progress” around the question of the rights of Europeans living in the United Kingdom post-Brexit, and as to the consequences of the divorce on the border between the Republic of Ireland and the province of Northern Ireland.

During a summit planned for the 14th to 15th December in Brussels the 27 will confirm whether or not they accept the opening of this second phase, which the United Kingdom is getting anxious to be able to start.


The Brussels Times


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