The European Parliament has voted to back a move to the next phase of Brexit talks, as well as an amendment criticising Brexit Secretary David Davis.
MPs voted by 556 in favour to 62 against for the non-binding motion judging that “sufficient progress” has been made in talks to open discussions on the transition period, as well as
The final decision on whether to move to the next phase of talks will be made by EU national leaders at the European Council in a meeting on Friday afternoon.
The European Commission also recommended on Friday that the next phase begin, following late-night and early morning talks with Theresa May.
The resolution passed by the Parliament however notes five outstanding areas where more progress had to be made, including the extension of coverage of citizens’ rights to future partners , a light-touch procedure for declaring settled status, and the right to free movement for UK citizens currently living in EU member states.
Other areas included a binding role for European Court of Justice decisions on citizens’ rights and the implementation of the Northern Ireland agreement.
It also criticises David Davis for endangering good faith between the two sides in the talks after he said on Sunday that the deal was a “statement of intent” rather than enforceable.
Commission chief negotiator Michel Barnier told the Parliament: “We will not accept any going back on this joint report. This progress has been agreed and will be rapidly translated into a withdrawal accord that is legally binding in all three areas and on some others that remain to be negotiated.”
A number of British Conservative MEPs abstained on the motion given the inclusion of the amendment criticising Mr Davis.
Describing Mr Davis’s comment as “staggering”, Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder told The Independent: “After the expulsion of two Tory MEPs by Mrs May after the last Brexit vote in the European Parliament one can only wonder what action may be dealt to the Tories this time around.”
