Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Roberto GUALTIERI (S&D, IT) and Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE) express themselves in front of the press on the state of play of negotiations with the UK, in the EP in Brussels.

Brussels

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Brexit (T)

article 50 of the Lisbon treaty (T)

press conference

BROK, Elmar (EPP, DE)

GUALTIERI, Roberto (S&D, IT)

ZIMMER, Gabriele (GUE/NGL, DE)

#Brexit Steering Group on the state of play of negotiations with the UK: extracts from the press conference by Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Roberto GUALTIERI (S&D, IT) and Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20614648/I148335Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Interior of the Press Conference (1 shot)

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, We concluded in the resolution that in the the first part a lot of the requests that the Parliament has put forward have been achieved in this negotiation, and you can find it in the progress report of both negotiating parties. On citizens rights, and it was crucial for us, all rights and all benefits will be covered.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, The resolution will also enlighten you and mention a number of outstanding issues that in our point of view needs to be tackled before an orderly withdrawal of United Kingdom from the European Union, and that for us are key to give our consent on the withdrawal agreement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, The first is that the coverage of the citizens rights needs also to be extended to future partners. It can be spouses, it can be other partners but it needs to be extended to future partners. The second is that we want to be sure that in a withdrawal agreement there is a light touch, declaratory in nature, a procedure free of charge for the citizens. And placing in fact the proof, the burden of proof on the home office of the UK authorities to challenge the declaration.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, The third is that we want to be sure that in practice the CJEU so the decision by the European Court in relation to the interpretation of the citizens right is binding.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, The fourth outstanding issue on this is guaranteeing of the free movement also of the UK citizens in the 27 member states in the EU, who are currently residing in the EU 27.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, And finally also ensuring that the commitments that are made with respect to Northern Ireland and Ireland are fully enforceable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, The Parliament also gives a first framework how the future relationship with UK could be, we recall the idea of the Association agreement, the four pillars in such an agreement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Elmar BROK (EPP, DE), Again it is shown that we are able in the European Parliament to keep the great coalition in these questions together. We think it is of outmost importance. We had more or less the same analysis about results. And results I think are so good that we can state sufficient progress is reached.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberto GUALTIERI (S&amp;D, IT), I consider particularly important and also thanks to the pressure of the European Parliament also in the last weeks further improvements has been achieved. For instance, the inclusion of future children, including those born in a relation between an illegible citizen and non-illegible not covered by the Agreement citizens will now be covered.

SOUNDBITE (German), Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), I would recommend on Monday to my parliamentary group to support the overall Parliament Resolution. I am personally promoting it. And I think that it could be possible under the statement and requirement that we would closely follow the next process, especially the further negotiations of the withdrawal agreement also the transitional agreements. And with the current estimation, which is a political one, that with the reached progress things will not be considered to be automatic, so that in the end the Parliament will be able to give its consent to the withdrawal agreement.