After a blow in 2016, the EU is ending 2017 higher than it began—thanks partially to the UK

The UK leaving the EU may need really executed extra good than hurt to the bloc. Public approval of the EU jumped in lots of international locations, together with Germany, the place it went from 50% simply earlier than Brexit in 2016, to 68% this yr.

The EU is set to delay Brexit transition talks, in a fresh blow to Theresa May

LONDON — The European Union plans to reject Britain's request to finalise the terms of a transition deal before the end of the year, in what would be a major blow to Theresa May's plan for Brexit.

The Prime Minister wants to move the protracted talks on to a future UK-EU trading relationship as soon as possible, but has struggled to get past the "divorce" phase of negotiation.

British businesses are keen for May and her government to make clear what Britain's trade relationship with the EU will be from the second it officially leaves at the end of March 2019.

In a recent speech in Florence, May said that Britain wants a two-year transitional phase in which access to the European single market can continue on the terms it currently has as an EU member state.

Her government has also made it clear that it believes talks on trade must begin as soon as possible in order for progress to be made, and cannot be regarded as separate from other issues under discussion.

However, according to The Times newspaper, a recent meeting of European ministers, diplomats, and business groups made clear that the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is unlikely to conclude that "sufficient progress" has been made for talks on trade to get underway next week.

The EU has been insistent that talks on trade cannot begin until "sufficient progress" is has been made on the issues of the Irish border, citizens' rights, and Britain's financial obligations to the EU.