The President of the european Parliament, Mr. Antonio Tajani and the Brexit coordinator stressed the need to protect citizens in reaction to the start of negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the european Union.
Any withdrawal agreement concluded would require the approval of the european Union to take effect.
The President Tajani said:
“The european Union’s position is clear. Preserving the rights of the millions of european citizens affected by Brexit and honouring the financial commitments made by the British government will be indispensable in securing the european Union’s approval of a potential exit deal.
Negotiations detailing the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union must now begin in earnest, and I expect that they will be conducted in an orderly manner and in a spirit of co-operation.”
The Brexit coordinator said:
“I am glad that we are sticking to the negotiating timetable which is already quite tight. Let’s now, first of all, make progress in the field of citizens’ rights and create legal certainty for both our people and our companies.”
In April, the european Union, with an overwhelming majority, adopted a resolution outlining its priorities and conditions for the negotiations on the withdrawal of the UK from the european Union. The members of the european Parliaments gave absolute priority to fair and equal treatment for european and British citizens. They also stressed that the UK will need to meet all of its financial commitments, including those that may run beyond the withdrawal date. They emphasized that the european Union’s four freedoms – of goods, capital, services and people – are indivisible.
Finally, the resolution states that any transitional arrangement must not last longer than three years.