UK Edition
British negotiators close in on Brexit transition period deal
British Brexit negotiators are closing in on securing a deal on the transition period and have surprised their European Union counterparts with their “strong will” to strike an agreement to effectively prolong Britain’s membership of the single market and customs union for about two years after March 29 2019.
London is targeting the March 22 European Council summit to secure agreement on the transition period, which is needed to give valuable time for the government and businesses to prepare for Brexit. During transition, Britain will lose all EU voting rights but will have to implement all new and existing EU laws.
Sources revealed that the European Commission, which leads Brexit talks on behalf of the bloc, were “impressed” by the British team during negotiations in Brussels last week.
“The UK was seriously prepared,” said one EU diplomat, “it seems that ‘let’s get on with it’ means ‘let's get on with it’.”
Theresa May had invited ridicule in some quarters in Brussels by finishing her Mansion House speech by saying “Let’s get on with it”. The UK has been accused of having no clear plan or strategy to keep the negotiations moving.
Junior Brexit minister Robin Walker on Monday said Britain was “very close” to a deal. "We recognise how important it is to secure the deal on the implementation period as soon as possible. I want to stress that we are very close to a deal at this time," Mr Walker said in a speech at the Institute of Directors in London.
A second EU diplomat told The Telegraph: “It is clear that the United Kingdom has a strong will to reach an agreement on the transition period.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has expressed frustration at British demands over the transition deal but recent signs are that the UK will cave on the major points of disagreement.
While the UK wants the end date to be kept open-ended to “about two years”, the commission wants it to finish at the end of 2020, to coincide with the close of the EU’s budget period. Some media reports have suggested Britain will cave on this point.
Brussels and London are also at loggerheads over whether or not EU citizens moving to Britain during transition be allowed to work and stay in the UK indefinitely after Brexit.
EU citizens in Britain before Brexit Day will be covered by the deal on citizens’ rights but the government argues anyone moving during the transition period would have different expectations.
In late February, the UK offered a compromise deal in which EU citizens arriving in transition would be eligible to remain indefinitely if they register with the authorities, effectively extending freedom of movement for two years after the Brexit deadline.
Britain also wants the ability to opt into new EU justice laws which it deems in its interest, which the commission opposes.
The Telegraph understands that a deal is now closer than many in Brussels thought possible but that the transition period will only be secured if the Brexit withdrawal agreement is nailed down.
The withdrawal agreement, which put into legally binding language British commitments on citizens’ rights, the Brexit bill and Irish border, is currently being worked on by EU-27 diplomats.
The EU-27 plans to agree its version of the draft withdrawal agreement on Thursday and it will then be presented to British negotiators.
“The ambition is that by the March European Council meeting, the EU, together with the UK, has highlighted in green the agreed articles, and in red the articles which require further discussions.
“If this is not the case, the momentum will be lost,” the diplomat added.
Brexit talks are continuing this week in Brussels, including further discussions over the transition period.