EU's key demands on Brexit bill and citizens' rights revealed
| Reuters Photo


The European Commission published on Monday its key demands relating to the financial settlement and citizens' rights on Britain's departure from the European Union.

The commission has calculated that financial obligations arising from Britain's membership of the bloc cover 74 EU bodies, and wants all accounts to be established and settled in euros.

While the commission has not put a figure on the final bill of Brexit, its calculations cover the period after Britain's departure from the bloc, a move likely to be highly unpopular among Brexit-supporters.

The liabilities include capital committed to the financing of the European Investment Bank, Britain's share in the funding of the refugee deal between the EU and Turkey and the funding of teachers at European schools, an issue that has long been a point of contention.

The demands are likely to irritate the British government, which is keen on addressing financial demands in the final stages of negotiations and wants to tie them directly to a future trade agreement.

Both sides are to sit down and begin Brexit talks during the week of June 19.

With respect to citizens' rights, the EU wants British nationals in the EU and EU citizens in Britain to have the right to acquire permanent residency after a continuous period of five years of legal residency.

This would include people who do not hold a residence document at the date of Britain's withdrawal on March 29, 2019, as well as their family members who might want to join them later.

The commission also wants the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg to have full jurisdiction corresponding to citizens' rights, a demand that is also likely to ruffle feathers in Britain.