The EU Parliament’s chief negotiator has said that he’s pursuing an “open and generous” strategy to alleviating UK citizens’ fears about Brexit.
Speaking at Chatham House this afternoon, Guy Verhofstadt revealed he was planning to put a resolution to the European Parliament advising them to take individual UK citizens’ fears seriously, even once Brexit negotiations have started.
“I can tell you I receive tens of letters every day,” he said, “[From] millions of citizens who are saying ‘don’t leave us alone. We feel still European citizens, and we want to continue our link to Europe because we are part of the same civilisation.'”
Mr. Verhofstadt, a former Belgian PM, stressed that the UK couldn’t “cherry-pick” EU membership elements in the withdrawal process, but did say there was room for negotiation regarding future trading terms prior to Brexit.
“In the treaty, Article 50, we are saying a withdrawal can be agreed taking into consideration the future relationship. That is literally in the treaty and that is what we need to apply.”
It comes on the same day as Theresa May’s meeting with ministers of devolved nations to discuss the subject of the UK’s Brexit strategy in Cardiff.