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David Davis calls for ‘imagination’ in latest Brexit talks
U.K. Brexit secretary David Davis will kick-off the third round of Brexit talks on Monday with a call for “imagination” on both sides of the negotiating table.
U.K. Brexit secretary David Davis will kick-off the third round of Brexit talks on Monday with a call for "imagination” on both sides of the negotiating table.
In a briefing to journalists ahead of the talks, a government official said: "Both sides must be flexible and willing to compromise when it comes to solving areas where we disagree.”
But the U.K. is showing no sign of bending to a key EU demand that it provide its own methodology for calculating Britain’s financial obligations on its departure from the EU, preferring instead to critique the calculations put forward by their negotiating partners.
EU diplomats have said Brexit talks will stall without more clarity from the Brits on the so-called Brexit bill.
Next week’s talks are being billed by the U.K. as "technical in nature,” laying the groundwork for "more substantive discussions in September,” the briefing note from the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) said.
"This round of negotiations will focus on thrashing out the technical detail on important matters related to us leaving the EU, and will act as a stepping stone to more substantial talks in September,” it added.
It will be the penultimate round of talks before EU leaders decide in October whether "sufficient progress” has been made, and whether talks about a future trade relationship between the U.K. and the bloc can begin.
Davis and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier will meet for the opening plenary session on Monday as most people in England and Wales enjoy a day off for the summer bank holiday, before working groups discuss the technical detail behind each side’s proposals.
The round of talks will be brought to a close by Davis and Barnier on Thursday.
It will be the first formal meeting since the U.K. published a flurry of position and future partnership papers on customs arrangements, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and Britain’s approach to leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, amongst other issues.
British negotiators will this week push for the European Commission to be "more flexible in its approach to Brexit discussions,” the briefing note said.
"The UK has been working diligently to inform the negotiations in the past weeks, and has published papers making clear our position on a wide range of issues from how we protect the safe flow of personal data, to the circumstances around Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
"As the EU itself has said, the clock is ticking so neither side should drag its feet,” the briefing said.
Last week, a senior EU official accused the U.K. of trying to use the Northern Ireland peace process as a bargaining chip in the talks, adding that time constraints were not the main issue: "We have not yet encountered a situation when lack of time will prevent us from advancing [discussions]. So far, it has been a lack of substance.”
In a briefing to journalists ahead of the talks, a government official said: "Both sides must be flexible and willing to compromise when it comes to solving areas where we disagree.”
But the U.K. is showing no sign of bending to a key EU demand that it provide its own methodology for calculating Britain’s financial obligations on its departure from the EU, preferring instead to critique the calculations put forward by their negotiating partners.
EU diplomats have said Brexit talks will stall without more clarity from the Brits on the so-called Brexit bill.
Next week’s talks are being billed by the U.K. as "technical in nature,” laying the groundwork for "more substantive discussions in September,” the briefing note from the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) said.
"This round of negotiations will focus on thrashing out the technical detail on important matters related to us leaving the EU, and will act as a stepping stone to more substantial talks in September,” it added.
It will be the penultimate round of talks before EU leaders decide in October whether "sufficient progress” has been made, and whether talks about a future trade relationship between the U.K. and the bloc can begin.
Davis and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier will meet for the opening plenary session on Monday as most people in England and Wales enjoy a day off for the summer bank holiday, before working groups discuss the technical detail behind each side’s proposals.
The round of talks will be brought to a close by Davis and Barnier on Thursday.
It will be the first formal meeting since the U.K. published a flurry of position and future partnership papers on customs arrangements, the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and Britain’s approach to leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, amongst other issues.
British negotiators will this week push for the European Commission to be "more flexible in its approach to Brexit discussions,” the briefing note said.
"The UK has been working diligently to inform the negotiations in the past weeks, and has published papers making clear our position on a wide range of issues from how we protect the safe flow of personal data, to the circumstances around Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
"As the EU itself has said, the clock is ticking so neither side should drag its feet,” the briefing said.
Last week, a senior EU official accused the U.K. of trying to use the Northern Ireland peace process as a bargaining chip in the talks, adding that time constraints were not the main issue: "We have not yet encountered a situation when lack of time will prevent us from advancing [discussions]. So far, it has been a lack of substance.”
