Merkel slams U.K.’s bid to negotiate a future UK-EU relationship without Brexit agreement

BERLIN, Germany - Addressing the German parliament ahead of the weekend EU summit, German chancellor Angela Merkel sent out a strong message to Britain on Brexit negotiations. 

Merkel attacked British ‘illusions’ of keeping benefits of EU, while prioritizing the need to protect the rights of an estimated 100,000 German citizens living in the U.K.

In her speech, Merkel reportedly made it clear that the U.K. cannot have the same rights as member states nor can it negotiate trade relations before agreeing to pay its bill.

Further, the German chancellor is said to have added that British politicians are still living under the “illusion” that the U.K. will retain most of its rights and privileges once it leaves the European Union.

Merkel said, “Countries with a third country status – and that’s what Great Britain will be – cannot and will not have the same or even more rights as a member of the European Union. All 27 member states and the European institutions agree on this.”

Adding, “You may think that all this is self-evident. But I have to put this so clearly because I get the impression that some in Great Britain still have illusions about this, and that is a waste of time.”

Merkel further noted that it made “no sense” to negotiate a future U.K.-EU relationship without agreement on the U.K.’s financial commitment to the EU.

She hinted that parallel discussions could be possible once questions about budget contributions had been satisfied.

Merkel also noted, “We can only make a deal about Britain’s future relationship to the EU once all questions about the terms of its exit can be clarified to a satisfying degree. That means the sooner the British government is prepared to find constructive solutions, the sooner we can engage with their desire to already talk during the exit negotiations about the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. But first we need to know how Great Britain sees its future relationship with us.”

The German chancellor noted that all 27 members agreed that this could be the only order in which the talks could proceed.

At the EU summit planned over the weekend, European leaders are set to formally adopt Brexit negotiation guidelines.

Merkel stressed that talks on U.K.’s financial contributions to the EU budget had to be part of the talks from the start, and that it could not wait until the end of the negotiations. 

Further, the German chancellor has stated that the financial commitments Britain had entered into would “extend into the period after Britain’s exit” from the bloc.

Further addressing the Bundestag, Merkel said that the need to protect rights of an estimated 100,000 German citizens living in the U.K. was her government’s first priority. 

She added that in return, Germany would be prepared to make a “fair offer” to British citizens living in Germany.