The EU’s timeline for phase two of negotiations

The EU guidelines on transition and trade, annotated by FT journalists

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NOTE From: General Secretariat of the Council To: Permanent Representatives Committee (Art. 50) Subject: European Council (Art. 50)  Draft guidelines

Today the Commission has stated that, in its assessment, "sufficient progress" has been reached in the first phase of negotiations. It will now be for Member States to appraise the results of the negotiations, and for the European Council on 15 December 2017 to decide whether it agrees that "sufficient progress" has been achieved. Should that be the case, the President of the European Council

 Following the notification under Article 50 TEU, the member of the European Council or of the Council representing the withdrawing Member State shall not participate in the discussions of the European Council or Council or in decisions concerning it.

1. The European Council welcomes the progress achieved during the first phase of negotiations as reflected in the Joint Report and decides that it is sufficient to move to the second phase related to transition and the framework for the future relationship. It calls on the Union negotiator and the United Kingdom to complete the work on the issues pertaining to the first phase, It underlines that negotiations in the second phase can only progress and translated faithfully in legal terms as quickly as possible.

 2. In the negotiations during the second phase the entirety and must be respected.

3. As regards transition, the European Council notes the proposal put forward by the United Kingdom for a , and agrees to negotiate a transition period ,while the United Kingdom, as a third country, will no longer participate in or nominate or elect members of the EU institutions.

4. Such transitional arrangements, which will be part of the Withdrawal Agreement, must be in the interest of the Union, clearly defined and limited in time. In order to ensure a level playing field based on the same rules applying throughout the Single Market,

 The European Council calls on the Commission to put forward appropriate recommendations to this effect, and on the Council to adopt additional on transitional arrangements as soon as possible.

 6. The European Council reconfirms its desire to establish between the Union and the United Kingdom. While an agreement on a future relationship , the Union will be ready to engage in Such an understanding, , should be elaborated in a

 7. The Union takes note that the United Kingdom has stated its intention to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market after the end of the transition period, and the European Council will , and respect all other principles set out in its guidelines of 29 April 2017, in particular the need to preserve the integrity and proper functioning of the Single Market.

8. The European Council to establish partnerships in areas unrelated to trade, in particular the fight against terrorism and international crime, as well as security, defence and foreign policy.

 9. The European Council will continue to follow the negotiations closely and will adopt additional guidelines at one of its next meetings, in particular as regards the framework for the future relationship. The European Council invites the Council (Art.50) together with the Union negotiator to continue internal preparatory discussions.

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