By Ben Kerrigan-
EU ministers have quickly set inflexible stipulations for Britain if the UK wishes to benefit from a free trade deal after leaving the European Union.
EU ministers took just two minutes to insist that Britain continues to allow the free movement of people during the transition, and also accept the authority of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) , as well as take on any new rules passed by the bloc.
They added that although UK representatives will be able to sit in on and “observe” some EU meetings, they will not be allowed to vote on any decision.
Describing the arrangement as “status quo transition without institutional representation”, it presents little room for negotiation of any sort and imposes a dictatorial basis for their political engagement.
The bloc’s list of demands also includes several requirements which are at odds with the Government’s stated aims, including having to guarantee the rights of EU citizens who arrive during the transition.
And the final draft of the document, seen by Reuters, could potentially scupper hopes of securing a special deal for Britain’s financial services sector, with the list stating the UK cannot be allowed to negotiate a “sector-by-sector approach” to a future trade deal.
Ministers reportedly took “two minutes” to adopt the instructions this afternoon, which will now be passed on to the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
The proposed transition is expected to be implemented after Britain formally leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019.
It is designed to provide time for businesses and government agencies in both the UK and on the continent to get used to new rules and regulations without affecting trade.
Without a transition deal in place, the UK would crash out of the EU in March 2019 and would fall back on to World Trade Organisation rules.