EU officials close to the negotiations stressed that work was still continuing ahead of May’s talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and his chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. But EU diplomats briefed on progress said the British offer was promising and that, on the financial settlement, the two sides were, as one said, “close to a deal”. On the issue of the rights of EU citizens in Britain, EU negotiators are still pressing Britain to accept that European judges should have a final say on enforcing those rights. Britain has yet to satisfy EU – including Irish – demands that it clarify how it would avoid a “hard border” with customs posts on land between Northern Ireland and the EU. On the Brexit bill, Juncker has estimated Britain would owe roughly 60 billion euros.

Source: Egypt Independent November 29, 2017 00:56 UTC