20 March 2018

Main results - General Affairs Council (Art. 50)

Brexit negotiations

The Council, meeting in an EU27 format, was briefed by the Commission's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, on the latest developments in the Brexit negotiations. The chief negotiator presented to the ministers an agreement reached by negotiators on parts of the legal text of the Withdrawal Agreement covering citizens' rights, the financial settlement, a number of other withdrawal issues and transition.

Draft agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU - 19 March 2018 (European Commission)

I believe we are all encouraged by the latest progress in the Brexit negotiations. We are going in the right direction. But nothing is agreed until everything's agreed. There is still a lot of work ahead. We urgently need to advance on all remaining issues, including on governance and Ireland.

Ekaterina Zaharieva, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister

Draft guidelines

The EU27 ministers also discussed the draft guidelines on the framework for a future relationship with the UK. Ministers reviewed the text before submitting it to the European Council (Article 50) ahead of the meeting on 23 March 2018.

European Council (Art. 50), 23 March 2018

These guidelines are to serve as a mandate for the EU negotiator to start discussing the framework for the future relationship, with the aim of reaching an overall understanding. That understanding will be reflected in a political declaration accompanying the withdrawal agreement and referred to in it.

© European Council