Britain and the EU officially start divorce talks on Monday, June 19, 2017. The inaugural negotiations on Brexit were conducted on that date. There is much to be talked about by both parties - Britain and the European Union - in less than two years, but the five most important of which are the following:
1. Trading
Britain will be the first country out of the EU. While still a member of the European Union, the UK can enjoy free trade with all the EU member countries which constitute 44% of its export market. The EU free market is also where Britain buys 53% of its imports.
A divorce with the EU meant Britain would no longer enjoy free access to the single market.
It is possible that the UK will still be able to gain access to the EU market but with certain conditions: they have to pay for it. However, it requires agreement in other areas. It could also be negotiating a new trade agreement.
Prime Minister Theresa May wants to start negotiations from the issue of trade relations, but the negotiation structure that was carried out on Monday apparently requires a discussion on another issue first.
If no agreement is reached until March 2019, no doubt the UK will be dealing with the high cost to trade.
2. Immigration
Theresa May is committed to reducing the number of European immigrants coming to Britain. But it seems to limit the freedom of negotiations. The EU needs access from its member countries to run free trade and that means also freedom in terms of human traffic.
Another potential problem arises from May's commitment, given that some key sectors of the UK economy depend on migrant workers.
Meanwhile, Britain's unemployment rate touched its lowest level in 40 years. Though many companies engaged in health, technology and construction are currently short of workers. One way to meet that need is to open taps for migrant workers.
3. "Divorce Fee"
The EU hopes that the UK will honor its commitments as a member by paying "last bill".
EU Member States pay contributions that will be used for infrastructure projects, social activities, scientific research, agricultural subsidies and pensions for former EU bureaucrats. Funds for such matters are negotiated to cover the needs in one period, while ongoing agreements will be valid until 2020.
The EU has not set official figures, but there are estimates that could reach 100 billion euros, or about 112 billion dollars.
4. Rights of Citizens
Both sides - Britain and the European Union - want to protect the rights of millions of people living in Britain or Europe.
The numbers were quite large. No fewer than 3 million citizens of EU Member States live in the UK, while there are 1.2 million UK citizens living in various EU countries.
The EU also wants a guarantee of lifetime access to pensions and health insurance.
5. Borders With Ireland
The Irish border will be the points discussed in the early days of the negotiations.
Both sides wanted no "hard bounds" between the Republic of Ireland (which would still remain a member of the EU post Brexit), and Northern Ireland (which is British territory).
Irish citizens today still enjoy the freedom to cross the border between the two regions (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). They are also still free to do business and utilize existing facilities in both areas.
This flexibility to cross the border was a key point of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 that brought peace to Northern Ireland following a decade of conflict.
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