The EU is still sceptical about Britain's future plans for Brexit. Michel Barnier, who is negotiating for EU to leave British, considers British Government's ideas to be illusory. Picking raisins will not be accepted, Barnier said. EU Council President Donald Tusk said that negotiations were at a crucial stage. On Twitter he spoke of a "critical Week".

For weeks, EU representatives have been waiting for concrete plans from London to show how Great Britain is facing post-EU withdrawal period. Barnier's recent criticism referred to British's approach to adopting EU's rules only in some sectors of economy and thus avoiding trade barriers, but not ors. The British government has not yet explained how this should work.

Britain wants to leave EU at end of March 2019. This will be followed by a transitional period of about two years. In United Kingdom, re are considerations to start this transitional phase after leaving without any time limit. However, this is rejected by Barnier. He said that all conditions were not clarified eir during transition period or in separation. There were "important points of controversy with United Kingdom". If y are not cleared up, re will be no transition period.

May will hold keynote speech

On Wednesday, Barnier intends to present a draft withdrawal contract. However, this was only implementation of first agreement already reached in December. "The proposal contains no surprises," Barnier said.

The 120 page-long document is intended to clarify key issues directly related to EU's separation. These include future rights of EU citizens in United Kingdom, border between Ireland and Norrn Ireland and financial demands on London. The document will be adopted on Wednesday at European Commission's weekly meeting.

On Friday, British Prime minister Theresa May wants to hold a keynote speech. It is expected that y will n announce plans of ir government. After transitional period, may also want to withdraw from EU internal market and European Customs Union. However, this is not only case for British economic representatives who are afraid of a far-reaching impact on trade with EU. There are also voices at Mays Tories that demand at least a customs union.

Chips instead of three-course menu

The former Topbeamte of Department of Commerce, Martin Donnelly, compared current trade relations with European continent in BBC with a three-course menu. The British government wants to trade this "against promise of a pack of chips".

The German Minister of State of Europe Michael Roth (SPD) also called for clarity in Brussels about British ideas on future relationship. The London government must "put cards on table," he said at a meeting of EU European ministers. "There are obviously problems with internal market as well as for a customs union. In this respect, we are curious to know how to proceed. "

Germany could "live with a lot of life if it helps to make relations between EU-27 and United Kingdom as close as possible," Roth said. "But in end everyone has to be clear: if you leave EU, n you cannot have all advantages that you have as an EU member State."

Date Of Update: 28 February 2018, 12:03