Brexit: UK offer on EU citizens a good start, says Merkel
Angela Merkel says Brexit is not the focus of the two-day EU summit on Brussels
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has described UK plans to ensure the rights of EU citizens in Britain after Brexit as “a good start”.
However, she said there were “many, many other questions” about Brexit and there was “still a lot to do”.
The UK proposal was unveiled by Prime Minister Theresa May at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday.
It would grant EU migrants who had lived in the UK for five years a new “UK settled status”.
That would allow them to stay in the country and access health, education and other benefits.
The plan would affect 3.2 million EU citizens now living in the UK.
Their rights – and the rights of UK citizens living in the rest of the EU – are among the thorny issues that have to be resolved early on in Brexit talks, along with the UK’s divorce bill and the Northern Ireland border.
“Theresa May made clear today that EU citizens who have been in Great Britain for five years can keep their full rights. That’s a good start,” said Mrs Merkel at the end of Thursday’s talks.
“But of course there are many, many other questions about Brexit – about finances, about the relationship with Ireland – which means we still have a lot to do until October.”
She insisted that Brexit was not the focus of the summit – the UK’s split from the EU is being negotiated separately.