UK–EU ‘agree’ draft Brexit political declaration

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The United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed on a draft political declaration that sets out the terms of the post-Brexit relationship, according to European Council President Donald Tusk.

The draft declaration sets out an “ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership”, officials said on Thursday, according to the AFP news agency.

The UK and the EU have already agreed on the terms for the draft divorce deal. A draft agreement on the future relations paves the way for an EU summit this weekend to rubber-stamp them.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will make an “emergency statement” in parliament on Thursday at 15:00 GMT.

Tusk said on Thursday that the EU executive informed him it has agreed on the text in principle and that the leaders of the 27 remaining EU states would screen the text on Thursday at a Brussels meeting.

“The Commission president has informed me that it has been agreed at negotiators’ level and agreed in principle at political level, subject to the endorsement of the leaders,” Tusk said.

He said that the British prime minister and the European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, had discussed the text on Wednesday.

“The declaration established the parameters of an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership across trade and economic cooperation” and other areas, according to a copy of the document seen by the AFP.

Representatives from all 28 EU countries are set to meet on Friday to prepare for the weekend summit.

Gibraltar, fishing rights issues remain

Some EU member states have raised objections to the divorce deal that was agreed at the UK-EU level and work is still ongoing among those states, European Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said Thursday.

Spain wants stronger language underlining its role in any decisions on Gibraltar, a British territory on the tip of the Iberian peninsula. Meanwhile, several member states are concerned about the impact of Brexit on fishing rights in the waters around Britain.

“I can confirm that the issue of Gibraltar, like the issue of fishing, are questions that still need to be tackled, resolved,” he said. “There are ideas, contacts are ongoing,” he added, in relation to Gibraltar.

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