EU General Affairs Council authorises Commission to open Brexit negotiations

Today, the European Union General Affairs Council authorised the European Commission to open negotiations with the UK on its withdrawal from the EU and also adopted a set of negotiating directives, a legal mandate for the negotiations. It was also decided to establish an ad hoc working party that will be led by the Council Secretariat.

According to the Estonian Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Matti Maasikas, the necessary prerequisites to start negotiations are now in place and from tomorrow the directives have to be implemented. The negotiations are expected to start right after the UK parliamentary elections and an overview of the first phase of the negotiations will be given to the Member States during the General Affairs Council and the European Council taking place in June. “The first phase of the negotiations is set to cover citizens' rights and the financial settlement. The whole negotiation process will be closely monitored by the permanent representatives and the General Affairs Council. We will also keep the European Parliament fully informed, as transparency is important to all of us,” Maasikas said.

The European Commission will negotiate in accordance with the guidelines adopted by the European Council, the Chief Negotiator will be a former Commissioner and French top politician Michel Barnier. The European Parliament will have to give its consent to the withdrawal agreement. 

According to the negotiation guidelines given to the Commission by the European Council, the negotiations will be held in two phases. The first phase of the negotiations will cover the disentanglement of the UK from the EU and from all the rights and obligations the United Kingdom derives from commitments undertaken as Member State. When sufficient progress has been achieved, the European Council will allow negotiations to proceed to the next phase and start preparatory discussions on a future relationship and transitional arrangements. An agreement on the future relationship between the EU and the UK as such can only be finalised once the UK has become a third country. The current negotiating guidelines are only intended for the first phase of the negotiations and may be amended as necessary during the negotiations.

The General Affairs Council also decided to establish an Article 50 working party that will assist the permanent representatives of Member States. In cooperation with them, it will be guaranteed that the negotiations will be held in accordance with the guidelines of the European Council and the directives of the Council of the EU, and that guidance will be provided for the negotiators.

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm15TWc7


Additional information:
Tiina Maiberg
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Islandi väljak 1
15049 Tallinn
(+372) 6377 253
(+372) 53 008 703
www.vm.ee