UK, EU ‘achieve breakthrough’ in Brexit divorce negotiations

December 8, 2017 9:58 am

Theresa May, U.K. prime minister, left, shakes hands with Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, as they pose for photographs ahead of a meeting at the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. May and Juncker are due to speak to reporters as a deal is expected on the Irish border that will allow talks to move on to the second phase. Photographer: Dario Pignatelli/Bloomberg

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday that he believed that a breakthrough had been achieved in terms of the Brexit deal with the UK.

“I believe we made the breakthrough we needed,” Juncker said after meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

He added that May told him that the new text had the backing of the UK government.

The European Commission president said progress was reached also in terms of the divorce bill and the EU institution was ready for the second phase of Brexit talks.

May welcomed the prospect of moving to the next phase of Brexit talks with Brussels in order to discuss future London’s relations with the EU.
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“I very much welcome the prospect of moving ahead to the next phase to talk about trade and security and to discuss the positive and ambitious future relationship that is in all of our interests,” May said at a news conference in Brussels.

May arrived in Brussels to meet with Juncker and Commission’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier for a final round of negotiations within the first phase of Brexit talks.

Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said Britain was now ready to “move on to the next stage of humiliation” after Prime Minister Theresa May agreed the terms of Britain’s divorce from the European Union.

“A deal in Brussels is good news for Mrs May as we can now move on to the next stage of humiliation,” he said on Twitter.

The European Commission said enough progress had been made in Brexit negotiations with Britain and that a second phase of negotiations should begin, ending an impasse over the status of the Irish border.