German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a cautious welcome to British Prime Minister Theresa May's offer on EU citizens' rights post-Brexit,…
Angela Merkel (PHOTO: AFP)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a cautious welcome to British Prime Minister Theresa May's offer on EU citizens' rights post-Brexit, saying it was a “good start” but more needed to be done.
“This is a good start. But of course there are still many, many other questions,” Merkel said yesterday after May outlined the plans at a European Union leaders' summit in Brussels.
Merkel cited Britain's exit bill for leaving the EU and the border in Northern Ireland.
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“We still have a lot to do here,” she told reporters.
Over dinner with her 27 EU counterparts, May promised EU citizens living in Britain that they could stay after Brexit, with permanent rights to healthcare, education, welfare and pensions equivalent to British nationals.
But a clash looms over May's refusal to let the EU's top court oversee the process and any resulting disputes.
Full Brexit negotiations began on Monday, with Britain due to leave the bloc at the end of March 2019.
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