Meeting of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs&nbsp;on the preparation of the negotiations on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Article 50 TEU) in the EP in Brussels. Exchange of views with Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Parliament's coordinator for the negotiations on the UK withdrawal from the EU and Professor Poiares MADURO on the consequences and legal options regarding Brexit and Citizens' rights. Statements by Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE),&nbsp; Gy&ouml;rgy SCHOPFLIN (EPP, HU), Diane JAMES (NI, UK), Richard CORBETT (S&amp;D, UK) and Jo LEINEN (S&amp;D, DE).

Brussels

exchange of views

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Brexit (T)

article 50 of the Lisbon treaty (T)

EU - United Kingdom (T)

meeting

SCHÖPFLIN, György (EPP, HU)

CORBETT, Richard (S&D, UK)

JAMES, Diane (EFDD, UK)

LEINEN, Jo (S&D, DE)

The preparation of the negotiations on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU (Article 50 TEU): exchange of views with Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE) and Professor Poiares MADURO on the consequences and legal options regarding Brexit and Citizens' rights

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20609233/I137549Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Arrivals,views in the meeting room (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), In fact the negotiation directive concerns a few specific points that will be discussed in the individual agreement. First of all the citizens rights issue, with everything what it implies that will be the first to a block in this negotiations directives ; second the block is everything concerning the financial settlement and more details about what the different elements are and needs to be in the financial settlement. And then a number of more general issues about borders and Good Friday agreement . What is also a third essential element of the future withdrawal agreement and then a chapter on administrative procedures for and then a final chapter on the oversight and off the whole process bythe European Court of Justice.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), On citizens rights we have also suggested that the mandate of the UK representatives on European work Council and workers representatives in European companies and should be maintained so to solve the whole problem around the European workers established in UK. We think that this is a useful addition to the chapter on the citizens&rsquo; rights that is in the negotiation directives.

SOUNDBITE (English), Gy&#246;rgy SCH&#214;PFLIN (EPP, HU), On the citizens&rsquo; rights, on the financial elements and the fifth point the rule of the EUCJ: it seems to me that what we're looking at is that the role of the EUCJ will actually be increased for the forthcoming period as far ahead as one and see. We know from the British side that this is totally unacceptable. So I suspect that that will be really very serious conflict on this but I don't know how Mr Verhofstadt sees it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Diane JAMES (NI, UK), What I think has inflamed public opinion in the United Kingdom was the position taken following the meeting between Mr. Juncker and the Prime Minister and the seemingly leaking of comments to the press, and a defectively a continuation of the bullying coming out to the European Union in terms of the position announced. The comment made was why those immature and puerile comments . Can I ask you to comment on that and give some ideas of whether you support position taken last weekend or whether you would be prepared to take back in your position , as one of the lead negotiators, to ask an element toning down and to return to what was previously a very considerate for the position taken by the United Kingdom.

SOUNDBITE (English), Richard CORBETT (S&amp;D, UK), There are a lot of things that the British government has still not spelled out even to its own public, or its own Parliament. Have you had any indications from the British side on what their intentions are in this respect and can you enlighten us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jo LEINEN (S&amp;D, DE), If you mention that we have in the Treaty the article 217 , that any country could be associated to the EU. So this is only possible if the country wants to be associated to the EU. If they want to be WTO country than this article will not help us.