MNI: No Brexit Talks On Fin Settlement, So No Moves This Week

By Tara Oakes

     BRUSSELS (MNI) - With no negotiations scheduled for the financial

settlement during this week's Brexit talks, there is "no chance" of hitting the

sufficient progress mark this week for future relationship negotiations to

begin, Market News understands.

     Sources on the UK side said that the agenda could always be modified even

at this late stage. But as it stands, there is not even the forum possible for

sufficient progress to be reached.

     Instead, the so-called divorce bill will be discussed at a lower, technical

working group level.

     "Sufficient progress" is the longed-for EU seal of approval needed for

talks on trade, customs and future partnership to begin. Britain are keen to

jump the gun and get second-phase negotiations up and running - and will publish

white papers this afternoon covering trade and customs.

     EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier would recommend the sufficient progress

label before it is approved by leaders at the European Council -- who have a

summit coming up in Brussels next week.

     But if things remain as they stand regarding the agenda and the general

gloom surrounding talks, negotiators are not there yet.

     Sufficient progress is needed on the financial settlement as well as

citizens' rights and issues relating to the island of Ireland.

     One EU source said that agreement on key citizens' rights issues was also

yet to be found. The role of the ECJ, exporting social security benefits,

registration and settled status are all still questions on the table. EU and UK

teams are working together on mapping the issues on the island of Ireland, he

added.

     UK Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to say Monday that the ball is in

the EU's court to move on to the second stage.

     But although EC Chief Spokesman Margaritas Schinas told journalists that

talks were "not exactly a ball game", he added that the ball, if it exists, is

"entirely" in the UK's talks for round II to begin - by them fulfilling the

mandate agreed and allowing sufficient progress to be declared.

--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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