WEB DESK
Britain and the European Union launch a new round of Brexit negotiations today with Brussels pressing weakened British Prime Minister Theresa May to quickly set out her divorce strategy.
Brexit Minister David Davis travels to Brussels to meet Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, for a second round of hugely complex haggling on Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc, scheduled for March 2019.
Ahead of four days of talks, Frenchman Barnier warned that the hard work starts now following the largely ceremonial first round of talks in June, and that the clock is ticking to reach a deal.
The EU has demonstrated increasing confidence, accusing Britain of dithering over whether it wants a hard or soft Brexit more than a year after the shock referendum that propelled May to power. Davis said, the focus would be the sensitive issue of citizens rights, and that real progress is paramount.
The four days of talks are set to also address more detailed concerns such as Britain’s future in Euratom, the EU’s nuclear safety agency, and the role of the European Court of Justice, the EU’s top court.