BREXIT: Last Round Talks 'Difficult But Productive' - UK Davis

By Tara Oakes

     BRUSSELS (MNI) - The July round of Brexit talks were "constructive and

substantive" on the subject of citizens' rights, UK negotiator David Davis wrote

to the House of Lords EU Committee Wednesday.

     "We have taken a significant step forward," Davis wrote to update the

committee on the July round of talks, claiming that there was "significant

convergence on the key issues that really matter to citizens".

     Citizens' rights is one of the three focus areas where the European Union

are demanding "significant progress" before discussions on the UK's future

relationship with the bloc can begin.

     Disagreements emerged in a joint technical note from both sides released

after the talks, most notably on the role of the European Court of Justice in

upholding the rights of citizens.

     "[W]e will need to have further discussions on the specified cut-off date,

future family reunion and the broader issue of compliance on enforcement. On

this latter issue, we have made clear that we are entering into an international

agreement with the EU27 which will create binding obligations on us and which we

will implement in UK law," Davis wrote.

     Other areas in need of further discussion included rights of EU and UK

citizens to vote and stand in municipal elections, with Davis calling the

European Parliament "clearly mistaken" in a recent letter published on the

issue.

     "We have made it clear that we stand ready to protect the rights of EU

nationals living in the UK to stand and vote in municipal elections," he

insisted.

     Davis added that the UK questioned whether the EU's offer -- which would

only guarantee residency rights for UK citizens in the member state they reside

in on Brexit day itself - was "consistent with the principle of reciprocity".

     He added that Britain was prepared to go "further in some respects than the

requirements of the free movement directive" on the rights of those who have

been absent for over two years, such as students.

     "The EU has not as yet been able to commit to matching those proposals,"

Davis wrote.

     For the next round in late August, citizens' rights topics to be tackled

will include "issues of mutual recognition of professional qualifications and

economic rights", as well as further technical analysis of social security,

Davis said.

     IRELAND, BILLS

     The other key areas requiring "sufficient progress" are the issues

surrounding Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland and the financial settlement.

     The UK only officially conceded it had financial obligations to the UK in a

written ministerial statement published just days before the July talks.

     Davis said the sides in July focused on the EU position paper on the

divorce bill, but "engaged positively on the basis of the Government's Written

Ministerial Statement on 13 July, which recognised that the UK has obligations

to the EU, and the EU to the UK".

     On Ireland, Davis wrote that "[m]ore detailed discussions" are scheduled

for the next round of talks.

     "Of course the key issues in relation to cross-border economic co-operation

and energy will need to form an integral part of discussions on the UK's future

relationship with the EU," he added.

     Although they have officially accepted the EU's timetable for negotiations,

the British side have long argued for the need to hasten talks on any future

relationship.

     "All in all, the second round of negotiations have given us a lot to be

positive about. They have however only served to reinforce my view that we

cannot negotiate the UK's exit properly without addressing what our future

relationship looks like," Davis wrote.

     Official expectations of meeting the target of "sufficient progress" is set

for October 2017, but it is not yet clear what "sufficient progress" would

entail and how likely it is to be reached.

--MNI Brussels Bureau; +44 203-865-3851; email: tara.oakes@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

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