EU's Juncker says UK Brexit position papers unsatisfactory
The UK's approach so far to Brexit negotiations was unsatisfactory, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday.
Speaking as EU and British officials met for the third round of talks, Juncker reiterated the European position that no trade talks could take place until the so-called main “divorce issues” were settled.
“I have read with all necessary attention all the position papers drawn up by the UK government but none of them really give me satisfaction, so there is an enormous amount of questions that need to be resolved,” he said.
"Not just on the border problems regarding Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is a very serious problem in respect of which we have had no definitive response, but we also have the status of European citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living on the continent."
"We need to be crystal clear that we will commence no negotiations on the new relationship - particularly a new economic and trade relationship - between the UK and the EU before all these questions are resolved. First of all we settle the past before we look forward to the future."
The EU wants Britain to pay a final “divorce bill”. UK Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have both conceded that a financial settlement will have to be made, but have yet to articulate a figure.
The rights of EU citizens in the UK and the Irish border are also must resolve areas for European officials.
Juncker's comments were echoed by the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who told Britain to start negotiating “seriously”.
“We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations. And the sooner we remove the ambiguity the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and to a transitional period,” he said.