EU releases official documents outlining Brexit stance

With Britain in the midst of an election campaign, the publication of the documents has gained little recognition on this side of the channel, but provides the clearest indication of how the other 27 member states will aim to enter the discussions.

While the draft documents, entitled Essential principles on citizens' rights and Essential principles on the financial settlement, do not provide a concrete indication of the settlement amount which will be sought by the EU, it includes from where the so-called Brexit bill will be based.

The liabilities claimed by the papers include monies owed via the European Central Bank and the European Development Fund.

The second document also claims that the UK should be made liable for the funding of British teachers in European schools under a previous cost-sharing agreement.

MITIGATING THE IMPACT

With regards to when payments should be made, it "should follow a schedule of payments that should aim at mitigating the impact of the United Kingdom withdrawal on the budget for the Union and on its Member States."

Citizens' rights in the aftermath of Brexit has been a major talking point since the UK voted to leave the bloc last June, and the EU states in the documents that the European court of justice should have the final say on whether rights legislation is being honoured.

"The Court of Justice of the European Union should have full jurisdiction corresponding to the duration of the protection of citizen's rights in the Withdrawal agreement," the paper said.

Theresa May was grilled on Monday night about the government’s Brexit plans ahead of the negotiations, with her Conservative party still expected to come out as the largest party from the election on 8 June.

May said that "no deal is better than a bad deal” as an outcome for the complex discussions".