The House of Lords voted Wednesday to amend and thereby delay a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations, demanding guarantees for EU nationals living in Britain.

In a major defeat for the government, peers voted by 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers to protect the rights of more than three million European citizens after Britain leaves the bloc.

The change means the bill must return to the lower House of Commons for deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks ahead of May&#39;s deadline for starting Brexit negotiations by the end of this month.

Before the vote, May said her timetable for triggering Article 50 of the European Union&#39;s Lisbon treaty, which starts a two-year negotiating period, would not change.

&quot;It is, indeed, my plan to trigger by the end of March,&quot; she told MPs.

A Brexit ministry spokesman said it was &quot;disappointed&quot; at the Lords vote, which comes after MPs overwhelmingly approved the bill last month. Lawmakers in the lower house defeated all amendments to the bill, including one on the rights of EU nationals.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed Wednesday&#39;s vote as &quot;great news&quot; on Twitter, suggesting he may support the amendment when it returns to the lower house.

A spokeswoman for May&#39;s office told AFP the government would seek to reverse the change when it moves back to the Commons, where May&#39;s Conservatives have a majority.

If they succeed, the original bill would go back to the Lords in what is known as parliamentary ping-pong.

The delay may only end up being a few days, but the defeat signals the domestic opposition that May could face during the next two years of complex EU negotiations.The June referendum vote was fuelled by concerns about mass EU migration into Britain, and immigration promises to be a critical issue once negotiations begin.

May has said she will prioritise ending free movement of workers from the other 27 EU countries, even at the cost of trade ties with the bloc.

But the fate of those who are already in Britain remains uncertain, causing intense worry for people affected.

The prime minister has repeatedly said she wants them to stay, but says she must also secure the rights of 1.2 million British citizens living elsewhere in the EU.

Labour party peer Baroness Dianne Hayter said the amendment was tabled on behalf of &quot;three million people who quite literally feel they are being used as mere bargaining chips&quot;.

She rejected May&#39;s argument that she must wait for a reciprocal deal, saying: &quot;These two groups of people should not be traded against each other.&quot;

She added: &quot;These people need to know now, not in two years&#39;&nbsp;time or even 12 months&#39; time. They simply can&#39;t put their lives on hold.&quot;May was forced to introduce the Brexit bill after the Supreme Court ruled she could not trigger Article 50 without parliament&#39;s approval, sparking fears that pro-European lawmakers would use the opportunity to block Brexit.

Unlike in the Commons, May&#39;s Conservative party is in the minority in the 800-seat House of Lords, and Labour&#39;s amendment had cross-party support.

Former Conservative minister Quintin Hogg had backed it, urging peers to &quot;take the moral high ground&quot;.

Another former Tory minister, Lord Norman Tebbit, was jeered when he said the debate seemed to focus on &quot;nothing but the rights of foreigners&quot;.

May had hoped to agree a deal on EU nationals late last year, but European leaders insisted there could be no talks on any subject before the government triggers Article 50.

&quot;The hold-up is less an issue of principle than one of timing,&quot; Home Secretary Amber Rudd wrote to peers on the eve of the vote in a bid to fend off the defeat.

&quot;However, I believe the UK and the EU have a common goal to provide this assurance as quickly as possible.&quot;

The government risks defeat on another amendment due for consideration in the Lords next week, on giving parliament a vote on the final withdrawal deal.

May has given verbal assurances that such a vote will take place, but her opponents want this enshrined in law.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

In a major defeat for the government, peers voted by 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers to protect the rights of more than 3 mn ?EU nationals after Brexit?

The House of Lords voted Wednesday to amend and thereby delay a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations, demanding guarantees for EU nationals living in Britain. In a major defeat for the government, peers voted by 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers to protect the rights of more than three million European citizens after Britain leaves the bloc. The change means the bill must return to the lower House of Commons for deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks ahead of May's deadline for starting Brexit negotiations by the end of this month. Before the vote, May said her timetable for triggering Article 50 of the European Union's Lisbon treaty, which starts a two-year negotiating period, would not change. "It is, indeed, my plan to trigger by the end of March," she told MPs. A Brexit ministry spokesman said it was "disappointed" at the Lords vote, which comes after MPs overwhelmingly approved the bill last month. Lawmakers in the lower house defeated all amendments to the bill, including one on the rights of EU nationals. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed Wednesday's vote as "great news" on Twitter, suggesting he may support the amendment when it returns to the lower house. A spokeswoman for May's office told AFP the government would seek to reverse the change when it moves back to the Commons, where May's Conservatives have a majority. If they succeed, the original bill would go back to the Lords in what is known as parliamentary ping-pong. The delay may only end up being a few days, but the defeat signals the domestic opposition that May could face during the next two years of complex EU negotiations.The June referendum vote was fuelled by concerns about mass EU migration into Britain, and immigration promises to be a critical issue once negotiations begin. May has said she will prioritise ending free movement of workers from the other 27 EU countries, even at the cost of trade ties with the bloc. But the fate of those who are already in Britain remains uncertain, causing intense worry for people affected. The prime minister has repeatedly said she wants them to stay, but says she must also secure the rights of 1.2 million British citizens living elsewhere in the EU. Labour party peer Baroness Dianne Hayter said the amendment was tabled on behalf of "three million people who quite literally feel they are being used as mere bargaining chips". She rejected May's argument that she must wait for a reciprocal deal, saying: "These two groups of people should not be traded against each other." She added: "These people need to know now, not in two years' time or even 12 months' time. They simply can't put their lives on hold."May was forced to introduce the Brexit bill after the Supreme Court ruled she could not trigger Article 50 without parliament's approval, sparking fears that pro-European lawmakers would use the opportunity to block Brexit. Unlike in the Commons, May's Conservative party is in the minority in the 800-seat House of Lords, and Labour's amendment had cross-party support. Former Conservative minister Quintin Hogg had backed it, urging peers to "take the moral high ground". Another former Tory minister, Lord Norman Tebbit, was jeered when he said the debate seemed to focus on "nothing but the rights of foreigners". May had hoped to agree a deal on EU nationals late last year, but European leaders insisted there could be no talks on any subject before the government triggers Article 50. "The hold-up is less an issue of principle than one of timing," Home Secretary Amber Rudd wrote to peers on the eve of the vote in a bid to fend off the defeat. "However, I believe the UK and the EU have a common goal to provide this assurance as quickly as possible." The government risks defeat on another amendment due for consideration in the Lords next week, on giving parliament a vote on the final withdrawal deal. May has given verbal assurances that such a vote will take place, but her opponents want this enshrined in law. (AFP)

Brexit bill delayed as House of Lords backs EU nationals' rights

Tens of thousands of people marched through Barcelona on Saturday urging the Spanish government to immediately meet its pledge to take in thousands of refugees.

Ada Colau, the mayor of Spain&#39;s second city, had called on Barcelona residents to &quot;fill the streets&quot; and march under the slogan volem acollir (&quot;We want to welcome them&quot; in Catalan). &nbsp;&nbsp;

Local police said some 160,000 people had heeded her call.

Many of those flooding the major Via Laietana thoroughfare carried signs reading &quot;Enough excuses, welcome them now&quot;.

The protest comes after Spain pledged to take in some 16,000 asylum seekers from other European Union countries under a quota system agreed in 2015 as the continent struggled with its biggest migration crisis since World War II.

Like other EU members, Spain has fallen far short of this target, with only 1,100 resettled in the country so far.&nbsp;

Jacint Comelles, a 62-year-old potter who joined the protest with friends and family, said not enough was being done to help people who have fled conflict hoping to start a new life in Europe.

&quot;We demand this minimum amount of dignity -- that at least this number of refugees (16,000)&nbsp;can come,&quot; he said. &quot;In Catalonia, everything is ready to welcome them.&quot;

The protest, organised by a group calling itself Castra Nostra Casa Vostra (Our home is your home), finished at the Mediterranean coast -- a symbolic location given the more than 5,000 migrants who lost their lives trying to cross the sea last year.

Senior Barcelona lawmaker Merce Conesa on Wednesday said it was &quot;shameful&quot; that Spain had not taken in more refugees, and urged the European Commission to begin &quot;severely sanctioning&quot; countries that did not meet their pledges on the issue.

Barcelona, capital of the wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia, put forward a plan in August 2015 for resettling refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea.

(AFP)

The protest comes after Spain pledged to take in some 16,000 asylum seekers from other EU countries under a quota system agreed in 2015

Tens of thousands of people marched through Barcelona on Saturday urging the Spanish government to immediately meet its pledge to take in thousands of refugees. Ada Colau, the mayor of Spain's second city, had called on Barcelona residents to "fill the streets" and march under the slogan volem acollir ("We want to welcome them" in Catalan). Local police said some 160,000 people had heeded her call. Many of those flooding the major Via Laietana thoroughfare carried signs reading "Enough excuses, welcome them now". The protest comes after Spain pledged to take in some 16,000 asylum seekers from other European Union countries under a quota system agreed in 2015 as the continent struggled with its biggest migration crisis since World War II. Like other EU members, Spain has fallen far short of this target, with only 1,100 resettled in the country so far. Jacint Comelles, a 62-year-old potter who joined the protest with friends and family, said not enough was being done to help people who have fled conflict hoping to start a new life in Europe. "We demand this minimum amount of dignity -- that at least this number of refugees (16,000) can come," he said. "In Catalonia, everything is ready to welcome them." The protest, organised by a group calling itself Castra Nostra Casa Vostra (Our home is your home), finished at the Mediterranean coast -- a symbolic location given the more than 5,000 migrants who lost their lives trying to cross the sea last year. Senior Barcelona lawmaker Merce Conesa on Wednesday said it was "shameful" that Spain had not taken in more refugees, and urged the European Commission to begin "severely sanctioning" countries that did not meet their pledges on the issue. Barcelona, capital of the wealthy northeastern region of Catalonia, put forward a plan in August 2015 for resettling refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea. (AFP)

160,000 march in pro-refugee protest in Barcelona

British MPs overwhelmingly backed a bill on Wednesday empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start negotiations on leaving the European Union, bringing Brexit a significant step closer. Members of the House of Commons voted by 494 votes to 122 for a law enabling May to trigger Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, which begins two years of talks on pulling out of the 28-nation bloc.

&quot;We&#39;ve seen a historic vote tonight -- a big majority for getting on with negotiating our exit from the EU and a strong, new partnership with its member states,&quot; said Brexit minister David Davis.

The unamended two-clause bill now moves to the House of Lords, where there may be more opposition from unelected peers -- and where May&#39;s Conservative party does not have a majority. But its passage through the Commons, where two-thirds of MPs had campaigned against Brexit ahead of the June referendum, puts May on course to begin the withdrawal process by the end of March, as she has vowed.

&nbsp;

Labour headaches

The referendum result sent shockwaves around Europe, spooking investors and raising fears for the future of the EU itself. In the early weeks, there was speculation that pro-European lawmakers might try to delay or even stop the Brexit process.

May initially sought to bypass parliament, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court that last month ruled she must obtain their approval to trigger Article 50. But during five days of debate on the resulting government bill, it became clear that most MPs would not stop the process -- even if some warned that leaving Europe&#39;s single market could be disastrous.

The opposition Labour party and the smaller Scottish National Party (SNP) tabled amendments demanding guarantees on market access, workers&#39; rights and those of EU citizens in Britain. Each was defeated, although during the process the government was forced to promise lawmakers a vote on the final Brexit deal before it is concluded.

Labour imposed a &quot;three-line whip&quot;, a tough disciplinary measure ordering its MPs not to oppose the legislation, ensuring it would pass. But some 52 Labour MPs rebelled in Wednesday&#39;s vote, including business spokesman Clive Lewis who resigned shortly beforehand, bringing a fresh headache for embattled leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn.

After two-thirds of Labour voters backed Brexit, many of them driven by concerns over mass immigration from the rest of the EU, Corbyn decided his party could not block the process.

&quot;Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards &amp; the economy,&quot; Corbyn wrote on Twitter following the vote. But he was swiftly reprimanded in a reply by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon: &quot;How? You&#39;ve just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn&#39;t win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;Ode to Joy&#39; 
SNP lawmakers voiced their frustration during Wednesday&#39;s vote by singing Beethoven&#39;s &quot;Ode to Joy&quot;, the EU&#39;s anthem, before being told off by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. But the outcome was celebrated by Brexiteers such as Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party.

&quot;I never thought I&#39;d see the day where the House of Commons overwhelmingly voted for Britain to Leave the European Union,&quot; he wrote on Twitter. Liberal Democrat lawmaker Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, said the vote would allow the government to pursue its aim of a hard Brexit, which will see Britain pull out of the single market.

&quot;There is no mandate for the hardest of hard Brexits the government favours, which risks leaving us poorer, weaker and more isolated,&quot; he said. May has promised to prioritise controlling migration in the Brexit negotiations, even if that comes at the expense of giving up membership of Europe&#39;s single market and its 500 million customers.

(AFP)

The overwhelming majority vote brings Britain a significant step closer to leaving Europe

British MPs overwhelmingly backed a bill on Wednesday empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start negotiations on leaving the European Union, bringing Brexit a significant step closer. Members of the House of Commons voted by 494 votes to 122 for a law enabling May to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which begins two years of talks on pulling out of the 28-nation bloc. "We've seen a historic vote tonight -- a big majority for getting on with negotiating our exit from the EU and a strong, new partnership with its member states," said Brexit minister David Davis. The unamended two-clause bill now moves to the House of Lords, where there may be more opposition from unelected peers -- and where May's Conservative party does not have a majority. But its passage through the Commons, where two-thirds of MPs had campaigned against Brexit ahead of the June referendum, puts May on course to begin the withdrawal process by the end of March, as she has vowed. Labour headaches The referendum result sent shockwaves around Europe, spooking investors and raising fears for the future of the EU itself. In the early weeks, there was speculation that pro-European lawmakers might try to delay or even stop the Brexit process. May initially sought to bypass parliament, prompting an appeal to the Supreme Court that last month ruled she must obtain their approval to trigger Article 50. But during five days of debate on the resulting government bill, it became clear that most MPs would not stop the process -- even if some warned that leaving Europe's single market could be disastrous. The opposition Labour party and the smaller Scottish National Party (SNP) tabled amendments demanding guarantees on market access, workers' rights and those of EU citizens in Britain. Each was defeated, although during the process the government was forced to promise lawmakers a vote on the final Brexit deal before it is concluded. Labour imposed a "three-line whip", a tough disciplinary measure ordering its MPs not to oppose the legislation, ensuring it would pass. But some 52 Labour MPs rebelled in Wednesday's vote, including business spokesman Clive Lewis who resigned shortly beforehand, bringing a fresh headache for embattled leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn. After two-thirds of Labour voters backed Brexit, many of them driven by concerns over mass immigration from the rest of the EU, Corbyn decided his party could not block the process. "Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards & the economy," Corbyn wrote on Twitter following the vote. But he was swiftly reprimanded in a reply by SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon: "How? You've just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic." 'Ode to Joy' SNP lawmakers voiced their frustration during Wednesday's vote by singing Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", the EU's anthem, before being told off by Deputy Speaker Lindsay Hoyle. But the outcome was celebrated by Brexiteers such as Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party. "I never thought I'd see the day where the House of Commons overwhelmingly voted for Britain to Leave the European Union," he wrote on Twitter. Liberal Democrat lawmaker Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, said the vote would allow the government to pursue its aim of a hard Brexit, which will see Britain pull out of the single market. "There is no mandate for the hardest of hard Brexits the government favours, which risks leaving us poorer, weaker and more isolated," he said. May has promised to prioritise controlling migration in the Brexit negotiations, even if that comes at the expense of giving up membership of Europe's single market and its 500 million customers. (AFP)

Brexit: British MPs vote to start EU exit negotiations

British Prime Minister Theresa May received Parliament&#39;s nod for invoking Article 50 that will start the process of UK&#39;s exit from the European Union.

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill&nbsp;was passed by the House of Commons with a majority of 384 as 498 votes were cast in favour of the bill and 114 against it.

The bill will be debated in Commons for another three days and then go to the Lords before it can become a law.

&quot;I lost the case. I made it with passion, I sacrificed my position in government for it,&quot; said former Conservative finance minister George Osborne. &quot;In the end we have to now accept that in a democracy the majority has spoken,&quot; he added.

The Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn had issued a whip ordering his MPs to vote in favour of the bill.

However, many Labour lawmakers joined their counterparts from the Scottish National Party (SNP), the Liberal Democrat party, the SDLP, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Tory MP Ken Clarke in opposing the legislation that will trigger Article 50 and start the process of UK&#39;s exit from the bloc. &nbsp;

Theresa May said that a White Paper on the Brexit strategy will be published on Thursday. She was responding to a query by Conservative MP Maria Miller.

&quot;The White Paper will reflect the plan already set out by the Prime Minister in her Brexit speech,&quot; a Downing Street spokesperson told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday morning, PTI reported.

The government was expected to win despite the Liberal Democrats and SNP voting against it.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The bill, passed by the Commons with an overwhelming majority, will trigger Article 50 and start the process of UK's exit from EU

British Prime Minister Theresa May received Parliament's nod for invoking Article 50 that will start the process of UK's exit from the European Union. The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill was passed by the House of Commons with a majority of 384 as 498 votes were cast in favour of the bill and 114 against it. The bill will be debated in Commons for another three days and then go to the Lords before it can become a law. "I lost the case. I made it with passion, I sacrificed my position in government for it," said former Conservative finance minister George Osborne. "In the end we have to now accept that in a democracy the majority has spoken," he added. The Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn had issued a whip ordering his MPs to vote in favour of the bill. However, many Labour lawmakers joined their counterparts from the Scottish National Party (SNP), the Liberal Democrat party, the SDLP, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Tory MP Ken Clarke in opposing the legislation that will trigger Article 50 and start the process of UK's exit from the bloc. Theresa May said that a White Paper on the Brexit strategy will be published on Thursday. She was responding to a query by Conservative MP Maria Miller. "The White Paper will reflect the plan already set out by the Prime Minister in her Brexit speech," a Downing Street spokesperson told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday morning, PTI reported. The government was expected to win despite the Liberal Democrats and SNP voting against it. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Brexit: First hurdle cleared as lawmakers pass crucial bill approving UK's exit from EU

British MPs debated until midnight on Tuesday over the merits of a bill giving Prime Minister Theresa May the power to start the country&#39;s departure from the European Union.

The government is hoping to rush through the legislation in time to trigger Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, which opens two years of divorce negotiations, by the end of March.

While the two-clause bill is expected to swiftly pass the lower House of Commons, it could be delayed in the upper House of Lords, where May&#39;s Conservative Party does not have a majority.

Its ultimate adoption is in little doubt, however.

&quot;It is not a bill about whether or not the UK should leave the EU, or how it should do so,&quot; Brexit minister David Davis said as he opened the first, two-day debate on the legislation.

&quot;It is simply about implementing a decision already made, a point of no return already passed.&quot;

The government had originally sought to bypass parliament, insisting it had the power to trigger Article 50 on its own, but the Supreme Court last week ruled it must consult lawmakers.

A majority of both houses of parliament opposed Brexit, but May has urged them to respect last year&#39;s historic referendum when 52 per cent of Britons voted to leave the EU. At just 143 words, the &quot;European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill&quot; has been tightly drafted, making it difficult to amend either to delay the government&#39;s plans or to tie its hands in the talks.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised not to block the bill, although his party, like the wider country,&nbsp;is deeply divided and dozens of his MPs are expected to rebel.

&quot;I am not failing to trust the people, I just disagree with some of them and I agree with the 48 per cent who chose to remain,&quot; Labour MP Paul Farrelly said during the debate on Tuesday.

But fellow Labour lawmaker Emma Reynolds urged MPs to back the Article 50 bill: &quot;Those of us on the remain side might not like the (referendum) result, but we have to accept it.&quot;

The Liberal Democrats&#39;&nbsp;Sarah Olney, elected in December on an anti-Brexit platform, said parliament had been presented with no evidence the country would benefit from immediately triggering Article 50.

&quot;We are effectively being asked to jump out of an aeroplane, without knowing whether or not we are securely attached to a parachute,&quot; she said.

Dozens of May&#39;s Conservative MPs are also opposed to her plan to pull Britain out of Europe&#39;s single market, but most of her party&#39;s lawmakers have promised to back the government as long as ministers keep parliament updated and involved in the process.&nbsp;

May has already promised MPs a vote on the final divorce deal.

Pro-Brexit Conservative MP Steve Baker warned fellow lawmakers they would &quot;suffer the kind of political implosion in this country which we can scarcely imagine&quot; if they refused to pass the bill.

After the preliminary debate, a vote on Wednesday allowing the bill to move to its next stage is viewed as largely procedural.

Over three days next week, however, the Commons will consider substantive amendments on issues such as access to Europe&#39;s single market.

There are also demands for greater involvement from the devolved parliaments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the latter two voting in June for Britain to remain in the EU.

The bill will then move to the Lords for debate from February 20, with the government hoping for their approval by March 7.

The Times newspaper said this could mean that Britain,&nbsp;the first country to vote to leave the EU,would trigger Article 50 at an EU summit on March 9-10, although Downing Street dismissed this.

(AFP)

A majority of both houses of parliament opposed Brexit, but May has urged them to respect last year's historic referendum

British MPs debated until midnight on Tuesday over the merits of a bill giving Prime Minister Theresa May the power to start the country's departure from the European Union. The government is hoping to rush through the legislation in time to trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, which opens two years of divorce negotiations, by the end of March. While the two-clause bill is expected to swiftly pass the lower House of Commons, it could be delayed in the upper House of Lords, where May's Conservative Party does not have a majority. Its ultimate adoption is in little doubt, however. "It is not a bill about whether or not the UK should leave the EU, or how it should do so," Brexit minister David Davis said as he opened the first, two-day debate on the legislation. "It is simply about implementing a decision already made, a point of no return already passed." The government had originally sought to bypass parliament, insisting it had the power to trigger Article 50 on its own, but the Supreme Court last week ruled it must consult lawmakers. A majority of both houses of parliament opposed Brexit, but May has urged them to respect last year's historic referendum when 52 per cent of Britons voted to leave the EU. At just 143 words, the "European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill" has been tightly drafted, making it difficult to amend either to delay the government's plans or to tie its hands in the talks. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised not to block the bill, although his party, like the wider country, is deeply divided and dozens of his MPs are expected to rebel. "I am not failing to trust the people, I just disagree with some of them and I agree with the 48 per cent who chose to remain," Labour MP Paul Farrelly said during the debate on Tuesday. But fellow Labour lawmaker Emma Reynolds urged MPs to back the Article 50 bill: "Those of us on the remain side might not like the (referendum) result, but we have to accept it." The Liberal Democrats' Sarah Olney, elected in December on an anti-Brexit platform, said parliament had been presented with no evidence the country would benefit from immediately triggering Article 50. "We are effectively being asked to jump out of an aeroplane, without knowing whether or not we are securely attached to a parachute," she said. Dozens of May's Conservative MPs are also opposed to her plan to pull Britain out of Europe's single market, but most of her party's lawmakers have promised to back the government as long as ministers keep parliament updated and involved in the process. May has already promised MPs a vote on the final divorce deal. Pro-Brexit Conservative MP Steve Baker warned fellow lawmakers they would "suffer the kind of political implosion in this country which we can scarcely imagine" if they refused to pass the bill. After the preliminary debate, a vote on Wednesday allowing the bill to move to its next stage is viewed as largely procedural. Over three days next week, however, the Commons will consider substantive amendments on issues such as access to Europe's single market. There are also demands for greater involvement from the devolved parliaments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the latter two voting in June for Britain to remain in the EU. The bill will then move to the Lords for debate from February 20, with the government hoping for their approval by March 7. The Times newspaper said this could mean that Britain, the first country to vote to leave the EU,would trigger Article 50 at an EU summit on March 9-10, although Downing Street dismissed this. (AFP)

Brexit: British MPs debate Article 50 bill till midnight

Fresh from talks with US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet Turkish leaders in Ankara Saturday, hoping to expand ties and seal a new trading relationship before Britain leaves the EU.&nbsp;

On a one-day visit to the Turkish capital, her first since becoming premier, May will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

While some EU states have been wary of sending top officials to Turkey following the July 15 failed coup and ensuing crackdown, May will follow several senior British ministers who have visited Ankara in recent weeks.

And symbolically, her visit to Turkey is the last leg of a trip which took her to the White House as the first foreign leader to be hosted by Trump.

Turkey, which has sought to join the European Union since the 1960s, has long seen Britain as one of the most enthusiastic supporters of its troubled bid.

But following Britain&#39;s June vote to leave the bloc, both sides are now looking to bring a new dynamic to relations, with London seeking to firm up post-Brexit trade deals with non-EU states.

&nbsp;

&#39;Engagement with Turkey&#39;

May&#39;s spokeswoman said increased security cooperation, especially on aviation, and a new trade relationship post-Brexit would top the agenda at the talks.

Following the failed coup, Turkey&#39;s relations with the EU have become strained, with Brussels sharply criticising the extent of the ensuing crackdown, and Ankara deploring Europe&#39;s failure to show solidarity.

The spokeswoman emphasised that there were no issues May would steer away from, including human rights and freedom of the press.

&quot;The Prime Minister&#39;s approach is quite clear - she thinks it&#39;s important, and in the UK&#39;s national interest - to engage with Turkey on a range of issues - from defence and security cooperation to capitalising on trade opportunities,&quot; she said.

She added: &quot;I don&#39;t think there are any issues that the prime minister is afraid to bring up.&quot;

&nbsp;

&#39;Unsavoury rulers&#39;

Ahead of May&#39;s visit, Britain&#39;s trade and investment minister Mark Price held a series of meetings with Turkish ministers in Ankara.

Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to more than $16 billion (14.9 billion euros) in 2015, Turkish figures show, with Britain the second most important country for exports and 11th in terms of imports.&nbsp;

Three months after the Brexit vote, foreign minister Boris Johnson made a colourful visit to Turkey during which he said Britain was seeking a &quot;jumbo free trade deal&quot; with Ankara.

Noting that trade ties were already significant, Johnson said he was the &quot;proud&quot; owner of a Turkish washing machine and acknowledged that Britain&#39;s iconic Jaffa Cake biscuits were owned by a Turkish confectionary giant.

He also ebulliently brushed off the embarrassment of penning the winning entry in an offensive poetry competition about Erdogan which was published by The Spectator magazine earlier in the year.&nbsp;

Back in the UK, MPs have urged May not to let her eagerness to promote trade overshadow human rights concerns over Turkey&#39;s post-coup crackdown.&nbsp;

&quot;The Conservative Brexit government is so desperate for trade deals with anyone but the mature democracies of the European Union that even the most unsavoury rulers are to be subjected to the prime ministerial charm,&quot; opposition Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney wrote in the Guardian newspaper.

Writers&#39; group PEN International called on May to raise &quot;serious concerns about the grave violations&quot; being committed within the state of emergency imposed in Turkey after the coup.

Regarding the coup and its aftermath, May&#39;s spokeswoman said: &quot;We have already expressed our strong support for Turkey&#39;s democracy and institutions following the coup - but we have also been clear that we urge Turkey to ensure that their response is proportionate, justified and in line with international human rights obligations.&quot;

(AFP)

Both sides are looking to bring a new dynamic to relations, with London seeking to firm up post-Brexit trade deals with non-EU states

Fresh from talks with US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet Turkish leaders in Ankara Saturday, hoping to expand ties and seal a new trading relationship before Britain leaves the EU. On a one-day visit to the Turkish capital, her first since becoming premier, May will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. While some EU states have been wary of sending top officials to Turkey following the July 15 failed coup and ensuing crackdown, May will follow several senior British ministers who have visited Ankara in recent weeks. And symbolically, her visit to Turkey is the last leg of a trip which took her to the White House as the first foreign leader to be hosted by Trump. Turkey, which has sought to join the European Union since the 1960s, has long seen Britain as one of the most enthusiastic supporters of its troubled bid. But following Britain's June vote to leave the bloc, both sides are now looking to bring a new dynamic to relations, with London seeking to firm up post-Brexit trade deals with non-EU states. 'Engagement with Turkey' May's spokeswoman said increased security cooperation, especially on aviation, and a new trade relationship post-Brexit would top the agenda at the talks. Following the failed coup, Turkey's relations with the EU have become strained, with Brussels sharply criticising the extent of the ensuing crackdown, and Ankara deploring Europe's failure to show solidarity. The spokeswoman emphasised that there were no issues May would steer away from, including human rights and freedom of the press. "The Prime Minister's approach is quite clear - she thinks it's important, and in the UK's national interest - to engage with Turkey on a range of issues - from defence and security cooperation to capitalising on trade opportunities," she said. She added: "I don't think there are any issues that the prime minister is afraid to bring up." 'Unsavoury rulers' Ahead of May's visit, Britain's trade and investment minister Mark Price held a series of meetings with Turkish ministers in Ankara. Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to more than $16 billion (14.9 billion euros) in 2015, Turkish figures show, with Britain the second most important country for exports and 11th in terms of imports. Three months after the Brexit vote, foreign minister Boris Johnson made a colourful visit to Turkey during which he said Britain was seeking a "jumbo free trade deal" with Ankara. Noting that trade ties were already significant, Johnson said he was the "proud" owner of a Turkish washing machine and acknowledged that Britain's iconic Jaffa Cake biscuits were owned by a Turkish confectionary giant. He also ebulliently brushed off the embarrassment of penning the winning entry in an offensive poetry competition about Erdogan which was published by The Spectator magazine earlier in the year. Back in the UK, MPs have urged May not to let her eagerness to promote trade overshadow human rights concerns over Turkey's post-coup crackdown. "The Conservative Brexit government is so desperate for trade deals with anyone but the mature democracies of the European Union that even the most unsavoury rulers are to be subjected to the prime ministerial charm," opposition Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney wrote in the Guardian newspaper. Writers' group PEN International called on May to raise "serious concerns about the grave violations" being committed within the state of emergency imposed in Turkey after the coup. Regarding the coup and its aftermath, May's spokeswoman said: "We have already expressed our strong support for Turkey's democracy and institutions following the coup - but we have also been clear that we urge Turkey to ensure that their response is proportionate, justified and in line with international human rights obligations." (AFP)

British PM May eyes trade ties with Turkey ahead of Brexit

In a bid to shore up the domestic steel industry, the European Union, on Friday,&nbsp;slapped anti-dumping duties on steel products from China and Taiwan.

The move comes in response to Chinese steel products allegedly flooding&nbsp;global markets in violation of international trade agreements.

&quot;The European Commission&#39;s investigation confirmed that Chinese and Taiwanese stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings had been sold in Europe at dumped prices,&quot; the EU&#39;s executive arm said in a statement.

The development comes in the wake of the United States under its President, Donald Trump, talking about protectionist measures to protect American jobs. The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, had praised globalisation.

The European Union is China&#39;s second largest trading partner. It has a host of trade disputes with Beijing and the stand-off over steel is being resolved through the&nbsp;Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, a group&nbsp;of highly-developed economies based in Paris.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The move comes in response to Chinese steel products allegedly flooding the global markets in violation of international trade agreements

In a bid to shore up the domestic steel industry, the European Union, on Friday, slapped anti-dumping duties on steel products from China and Taiwan. The move comes in response to Chinese steel products allegedly flooding global markets in violation of international trade agreements. "The European Commission's investigation confirmed that Chinese and Taiwanese stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings had been sold in Europe at dumped prices," the EU's executive arm said in a statement. The development comes in the wake of the United States under its President, Donald Trump, talking about protectionist measures to protect American jobs. The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, had praised globalisation. The European Union is China's second largest trading partner. It has a host of trade disputes with Beijing and the stand-off over steel is being resolved through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, a group of highly-developed economies based in Paris. (WION with inputs from AFP)

European Union slaps anti-dumping duty on steel imports from China

Britain will continue to follow the European Union (EU) trade rules until it remains a member of the bloc, Britain&#39;s finance minister, Philip Hammond, said.

&quot;Britain remains a fully engaged member of EU,&quot; Hammond said.

He was responding to a question on Theresa May&#39;s visit to United States where she is expected to hold a meeting with her counterpart, President Donald Trump, drawing up a free trade deal that will link the two countries once the UK exits the European Union.

Theresa May will hold talks with Trump in a few hours from now where she is expected to lay the roadmap for the bilateral trade deal between the two countries.&nbsp;

&quot;Of course we want to strengthen our trade ties with the very many trade partners we have around the world. But we are very mindful of our obligations under the treaty and will follow them precisely,&quot; Philip Hammond told reporters arriving at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels, Reuters reported.

May&#39;s visit has created a furore among EU members as negotiating independent trade deals outside of the 27-member bloc would amount to a violation of EU treaties.

On Wednesday, European Union&#39;s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that Britain was free to &quot;discuss&quot; its trade ties with the US but it remains bound by EU treaties as long as it is a part of the bloc, AFP reported.

Britain is expected to start negotiating a two-year-long exit route out of the bloc beginning March.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Theresa May and Donald Trump are expected to draw up a free trade deal today which will link US and Britain once it exits EU

Britain will continue to follow the European Union (EU) trade rules until it remains a member of the bloc, Britain's finance minister, Philip Hammond, said. "Britain remains a fully engaged member of EU," Hammond said. He was responding to a question on Theresa May's visit to United States where she is expected to hold a meeting with her counterpart, President Donald Trump, drawing up a free trade deal that will link the two countries once the UK exits the European Union. Theresa May will hold talks with Trump in a few hours from now where she is expected to lay the roadmap for the bilateral trade deal between the two countries. "Of course we want to strengthen our trade ties with the very many trade partners we have around the world. But we are very mindful of our obligations under the treaty and will follow them precisely," Philip Hammond told reporters arriving at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels, Reuters reported. May's visit has created a furore among EU members as negotiating independent trade deals outside of the 27-member bloc would amount to a violation of EU treaties. On Wednesday, European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that Britain was free to "discuss" its trade ties with the US but it remains bound by EU treaties as long as it is a part of the bloc, AFP reported. Britain is expected to start negotiating a two-year-long exit route out of the bloc beginning March. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Britain's finance minister says will uphold EU rules on trade till it's a member

EU countries must do more to stop the trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children, some of whom are suffering sexual abuse, the bloc&#39;s migration commissioner warned Friday.

EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged politicians in the 28 member states to go against a rising tide of populism on the continent and speak out on the subject of young migrants.

&quot;Many children are in the hands of smugglers, traffickers,&quot; Avramopoulos told a conference in Malta after EU interior ministers met to discuss the migration crisis. &quot;Many are sexually abused.&quot;

&quot;If we don&#39;t bring public opinion on board, we will not succeed because these children are on the streets of our cities,&quot; he added.

Avramopoulos, whose native Greece has been hardest hit by the wave of refugees and migrants fleeing war in Syria and elsewhere, said that EU countries &quot;must take up their responsibilities.&quot;

&quot;Some politicians are good in rhetoric but not in doing things,&quot; he told the conference, organised by the Brussels-based NGO Missing Children Europe.

EU data shows that around 90,000 unaccompanied children entered Europe in 2015 among a record number of asylum seekers.

The European police agency Europol caused a stir a year ago when it announced that some 10,000 migrant children had gone missing, raising an alarm that many of them could have fallen into the hands of traffickers for labour, sexual or criminal exploitation.

Heidi de Pauw of Missing Children Europe told the conference that politicians had to &quot;lead&quot; efforts to change views about migrants at a time when right-wing anti-immigration parties are on the rise.

&quot;We have to admit public opinion is not in favour of migration,&quot; de Pauw said.

(AFP)

Avramopoulos urged politicians in the 28 member states to go against a rising tide of populism on the continent

EU countries must do more to stop the trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children, some of whom are suffering sexual abuse, the bloc's migration commissioner warned Friday. EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged politicians in the 28 member states to go against a rising tide of populism on the continent and speak out on the subject of young migrants. "Many children are in the hands of smugglers, traffickers," Avramopoulos told a conference in Malta after EU interior ministers met to discuss the migration crisis. "Many are sexually abused." "If we don't bring public opinion on board, we will not succeed because these children are on the streets of our cities," he added. Avramopoulos, whose native Greece has been hardest hit by the wave of refugees and migrants fleeing war in Syria and elsewhere, said that EU countries "must take up their responsibilities." "Some politicians are good in rhetoric but not in doing things," he told the conference, organised by the Brussels-based NGO Missing Children Europe. EU data shows that around 90,000 unaccompanied children entered Europe in 2015 among a record number of asylum seekers. The European police agency Europol caused a stir a year ago when it announced that some 10,000 migrant children had gone missing, raising an alarm that many of them could have fallen into the hands of traffickers for labour, sexual or criminal exploitation. Heidi de Pauw of Missing Children Europe told the conference that politicians had to "lead" efforts to change views about migrants at a time when right-wing anti-immigration parties are on the rise. "We have to admit public opinion is not in favour of migration," de Pauw said. (AFP)

EU must help 'abused' migrant children: Commissioner

Kosovo&#39;s and Serbia&#39;s leaders agreed late Tuesday to ease tensions that have risen in past weeks and pursue intensive high-level talks following EU-brokered efforts in Brussels to normalise their relations.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she was encouraged by the talks involving Kosovo&#39;s President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa with their Serb counterparts Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic.

The leaders &quot;agreed to leave the tensions behind and to focus on the work ahead,&quot; Mogherini said in a statement, adding intensive, high-level talks will start in a few days.

She said progress toward normalising ties is essential if the two sides want to pursue closer relations with the European Union.

Ties between the two Balkan countries have reached their lowest level since they opened talks to improve relations back in 2011.

Kosovo&#39;s ethnic Albanian insurgents fought Serbian forces in 1998-1999 and the former province unilaterally declared independence in 2008, but Serbia denies Kosovo&#39;s sovereignty.

Earlier this month, Belgrade sent a train towards Kosovo painted in the colours of the Serbian flag, covered in the statement &quot;Kosovo is Serbia&quot; in multiple languages and decorated inside with Serbian Orthodox imagery.

Kosovo said it was a &quot;provocation&quot;. Vucic said the train was stopped from crossing the border over fears it would be attacked.

Vucic called the meeting in Brussels a &quot;good step&quot; as he told reporters the two sides agreed to avoid irresponsible behaviour and provocative language, according to Tanjug news agency.

&quot;We asked for respect for the territory of Kosovo and not to have provocations by Serbia`s parallel structures,&quot; Kosovo`s Mustafa said.

Members of Kosovo&#39;s ethnic Albanian majority were also outraged by the arrest in France in early January of former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj, under an international warrant issued by Serbia.

Belgrade wants to try him for alleged war crimes committed against civilians during the 1990s conflict.

Relations have further deteriorated in the town of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, where Serb authorities have started erecting a concrete wall on the banks of the Ibar river.

The wall&#39;s construction, by a bridge that divides the town&#39;s Serb-dominated north and largely ethnic Albanian south, has angered Pristina, which says it is cementing the town&#39;s divisions and must be knocked down.

(AFP)

The leaders 'agreed to leave the tensions behind and to focus on the work ahead,' the EU foreign policy chief said in a statement

Kosovo's and Serbia's leaders agreed late Tuesday to ease tensions that have risen in past weeks and pursue intensive high-level talks following EU-brokered efforts in Brussels to normalise their relations. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she was encouraged by the talks involving Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa with their Serb counterparts Tomislav Nikolic and Aleksandar Vucic. The leaders "agreed to leave the tensions behind and to focus on the work ahead," Mogherini said in a statement, adding intensive, high-level talks will start in a few days. She said progress toward normalising ties is essential if the two sides want to pursue closer relations with the European Union. Ties between the two Balkan countries have reached their lowest level since they opened talks to improve relations back in 2011. Kosovo's ethnic Albanian insurgents fought Serbian forces in 1998-1999 and the former province unilaterally declared independence in 2008, but Serbia denies Kosovo's sovereignty. Earlier this month, Belgrade sent a train towards Kosovo painted in the colours of the Serbian flag, covered in the statement "Kosovo is Serbia" in multiple languages and decorated inside with Serbian Orthodox imagery. Kosovo said it was a "provocation". Vucic said the train was stopped from crossing the border over fears it would be attacked. Vucic called the meeting in Brussels a "good step" as he told reporters the two sides agreed to avoid irresponsible behaviour and provocative language, according to Tanjug news agency. "We asked for respect for the territory of Kosovo and not to have provocations by Serbia`s parallel structures," Kosovo`s Mustafa said. Members of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority were also outraged by the arrest in France in early January of former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj, under an international warrant issued by Serbia. Belgrade wants to try him for alleged war crimes committed against civilians during the 1990s conflict. Relations have further deteriorated in the town of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, where Serb authorities have started erecting a concrete wall on the banks of the Ibar river. The wall's construction, by a bridge that divides the town's Serb-dominated north and largely ethnic Albanian south, has angered Pristina, which says it is cementing the town's divisions and must be knocked down. (AFP)

Serbia and Kosovo leaders agree to ease tensions after EU mediation

&nbsp;Britain will trigger the legal process for leaving the European Union by the end of March despite a court ruling that means the government needs to get parliamentary approval, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday.

The UK&#39;s highest judicial body dismissed a government argument that May could simply use executive powers known as &quot;royal prerogative&quot; to invoke Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty and begin two years of divorce talks.

&quot;The British people voted to leave the EU, and the government will deliver on their verdict &ndash; triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March. Today&#39;s ruling does nothing to change that,&quot; the spokesman said.

&quot;We respect the Supreme Court&#39;s decision, and will set out our next steps to Parliament shortly.&quot;

(Reuters)

Britain will trigger the legal process for leaving the EU by the end of March despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the spokesman said

Britain will trigger the legal process for leaving the European Union by the end of March despite a court ruling that means the government needs to get parliamentary approval, a spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday. The UK's highest judicial body dismissed a government argument that May could simply use executive powers known as "royal prerogative" to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin two years of divorce talks. "The British people voted to leave the EU, and the government will deliver on their verdict – triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March. Today's ruling does nothing to change that," the spokesman said. "We respect the Supreme Court's decision, and will set out our next steps to Parliament shortly." (Reuters)

Article 50 ruling does not change Brexit timetable: Spokesman for PM May

Britain&#39;s foreign minister Boris Johnson warned French President Francois Hollande against World War II-style &quot;punishment beatings&quot; for Brexit.

Hollande has said it would not accept improved conditions for the UK when it leaves the single market.

Johnson said that penalising Britain for leaving the EU would benefit no one and compared the approach to punishment given to escaped prisoners in war movies.

&quot;I think that if Monsieur Hollande wants to administer punishment beatings to anybody who chooses to escape, rather in manner of some sort of World War II movie, than I don&rsquo;t think that is the way forward,&quot; the former journalist told delegates at a political conference in New Delhi, reported AFP.

&quot;I think it&#39;s actually not in the interest of our friends and our partners.&quot;

Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said Britain will leave the EU&#39;s single market after leaving the European Union in order to restrict immigration in a clean break from the politico-economic union.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the minister&#39;s comments &quot;wild and inappropriate&quot;.

May&#39;s spokeswoman defended Johnson&#39;s statement saying it was a &quot;theatrical comparison&quot;.

&quot;He was making a point. He was in no way suggesting that anyone was a Nazi,&quot; she said.

Johnson&#39;s brother told BBC radio that Boris used &quot;colourful language&quot; to make a powerful point.

&quot;He was making a powerful point that we want a rational deal. He was using colourful language to get across an important point,&quot; Jo Johnson said.

May said Britain wanted a news customs deal with the EU that would focus on giving Britain &quot;the greatest possible access&quot; to the market on its departure.

On Wednesday, Johnson said Britain&#39;s decision to exit the single market did not mean it wanted to stop having access to EU countries, reported AFP.

&quot;We should be working together. It seems absolutely incredible to me that in the 21st century, the European Union... should be seriously contemplating the introduction of tariffs or whatever to administer punishment to (the) UK,&quot; he said.

&quot;And don&rsquo;t forget, these things cut both ways. After all, the Germans, as is well known, export one-fifth of their motor manufacturing output.&quot;

(With inputs from AFP)

Boris Johnson asserted that Britain should not be penalised for exiting the European Union

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson warned French President Francois Hollande against World War II-style "punishment beatings" for Brexit. Hollande has said it would not accept improved conditions for the UK when it leaves the single market. Johnson said that penalising Britain for leaving the EU would benefit no one and compared the approach to punishment given to escaped prisoners in war movies. "I think that if Monsieur Hollande wants to administer punishment beatings to anybody who chooses to escape, rather in manner of some sort of World War II movie, than I don’t think that is the way forward," the former journalist told delegates at a political conference in New Delhi, reported AFP. "I think it's actually not in the interest of our friends and our partners." Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said Britain will leave the EU's single market after leaving the European Union in order to restrict immigration in a clean break from the politico-economic union. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the minister's comments "wild and inappropriate". May's spokeswoman defended Johnson's statement saying it was a "theatrical comparison". "He was making a point. He was in no way suggesting that anyone was a Nazi," she said. Johnson's brother told BBC radio that Boris used "colourful language" to make a powerful point. "He was making a powerful point that we want a rational deal. He was using colourful language to get across an important point," Jo Johnson said. May said Britain wanted a news customs deal with the EU that would focus on giving Britain "the greatest possible access" to the market on its departure. On Wednesday, Johnson said Britain's decision to exit the single market did not mean it wanted to stop having access to EU countries, reported AFP. "We should be working together. It seems absolutely incredible to me that in the 21st century, the European Union... should be seriously contemplating the introduction of tariffs or whatever to administer punishment to (the) UK," he said. "And don’t forget, these things cut both ways. After all, the Germans, as is well known, export one-fifth of their motor manufacturing output." (With inputs from AFP)

UK foreign minister Johnson warns against Brexit 'punishment beatings'

Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday, announcing for the first time that Britain will leave Europe&#39;s single market in order to control EU immigration.

In a highly-anticipated speech, May warned the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain&#39;s historic divorce from the bloc after more than four decades of membership.

She revealed that Britain would look to strike a new customs agreement with the EU to be able to carve out its own trade deals with the rest of the world.

In a concession to parliamentary critics, the Conservative leader also said lawmakers would get a vote on any final Brexit agreement negotiated with Brussels.

EU leaders have insisted that single market membership means accepting free movement -- a key issue in Britain&#39;s shock June referendum vote to become the first country to leave the 28-member grouping.

&quot;Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe. And that is what we will deliver,&quot; May told foreign ambassadors in London.

&quot;What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.&quot;

EU immigration to Britain ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016.

EU president Donald Tusk said May&#39;s plans were &quot;at least more realistic&quot; about what London wanted.

But the European Commission&#39;s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that an orderly divorce from the bloc within the specified two years was a &quot;prerequisite&quot; for any future free trade deal.

Good deal or no deal

Britain has two years to negotiate a break-up deal once May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially declaring the country&#39;s intention to quit, or face leaving with no agreement.

May said London could accept departing on such terms if Brussels played hardball, but it would hurt the EU hardest.

&quot;No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain,&quot; she said.

May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and said she was confident that final settlements could be negotiated within the two-year timeframe.

Seeking to calm fears of a sudden jolt to the economy on abruptly leaving the EU in 2019, May said she would seek a &quot;phased process of implementation&quot;.

EU countries accounted for 44 percent of Britain&#39;s total exports in goods and services in 2015, with the country recording a &pound;68.6 billion ($82.7 billion, 77.9 billion euros) trade deficit with the bloc.

The single market without Britain covers 460 million people.

Brussels has estimated the bill Britain will have to pay at 55 to 60 billion euros, EU sources told AFP.

The British currency has endured a rocky ride since the June referendum, but sterling responded strongly to May&#39;s speech, wiping out losses earlier in the week to stand at $1.2379 at 1730 GMT.

&quot;The prime minister has adopted a more pragmatic approach to Brexit than expected, providing some much needed relief for the pound,&quot; NFS Macro analyst Nick Stamenkovic told AFP.

Meanwhile London stocks closed down 1.5 percent at 7,220.38 points.

Warning on &#39;punitive deal&#39;

May hinted that Britain might undercut the EU economically if it does not get a free trade deal.

Excluded from the single market, May said London would be free to change its economic model and &quot;set competitive tax rates&quot;.

&quot;There are some voices calling for a punitive deal that punishes Britain and discourages other countries from taking the same path.

&quot;That would be an act of calamitous self-harm for the countries of Europe.&quot;

Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 but was often an uncomfortable partner as the grouping moved to greater integration, refusing to join the euro currency or the Schengen open borders zone.

May said Britain voted to leave because Europe had not been flexible enough for voters on key issues, but Britain nonetheless wanted the EU to succeed, not unravel.

She said Britain would remain a key intelligence and security partner in Europe, as she couched her speech as repositioning Britain as an outward-looking global trading player.

Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe research initiative, said: &quot;Her ability to achieve the ambitions she set out will ultimately hinge on what her partners are willing to give her.&quot;

Scotland&#39;s nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said May&#39;s speech had made Scottish independence more likely.

&quot;The UK is heading for a hard Brexit, which threatens to be economically catastrophic,&quot; she said.

A new independence referendum is now &quot;even more likely&quot;.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said May had &quot;finally brought a bit more clarity&quot;.

&quot;We also want as good, close and trusting a relationship as possible,&quot; he said.

Britain&#39;s Supreme Court is due to rule later this month on whether May must seek parliamentary approval before triggering Article 50, which could delay the start of negotiations.

(AFP)

May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday,?warning the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain

Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday, announcing for the first time that Britain will leave Europe's single market in order to control EU immigration. In a highly-anticipated speech, May warned the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain's historic divorce from the bloc after more than four decades of membership. She revealed that Britain would look to strike a new customs agreement with the EU to be able to carve out its own trade deals with the rest of the world. In a concession to parliamentary critics, the Conservative leader also said lawmakers would get a vote on any final Brexit agreement negotiated with Brussels. EU leaders have insisted that single market membership means accepting free movement -- a key issue in Britain's shock June referendum vote to become the first country to leave the 28-member grouping. "Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe. And that is what we will deliver," May told foreign ambassadors in London. "What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market." EU immigration to Britain ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016. EU president Donald Tusk said May's plans were "at least more realistic" about what London wanted. But the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that an orderly divorce from the bloc within the specified two years was a "prerequisite" for any future free trade deal. Good deal or no deal Britain has two years to negotiate a break-up deal once May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially declaring the country's intention to quit, or face leaving with no agreement. May said London could accept departing on such terms if Brussels played hardball, but it would hurt the EU hardest. "No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain," she said. May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and said she was confident that final settlements could be negotiated within the two-year timeframe. Seeking to calm fears of a sudden jolt to the economy on abruptly leaving the EU in 2019, May said she would seek a "phased process of implementation". EU countries accounted for 44 percent of Britain's total exports in goods and services in 2015, with the country recording a £68.6 billion ($82.7 billion, 77.9 billion euros) trade deficit with the bloc. The single market without Britain covers 460 million people. Brussels has estimated the bill Britain will have to pay at 55 to 60 billion euros, EU sources told AFP. The British currency has endured a rocky ride since the June referendum, but sterling responded strongly to May's speech, wiping out losses earlier in the week to stand at $1.2379 at 1730 GMT. "The prime minister has adopted a more pragmatic approach to Brexit than expected, providing some much needed relief for the pound," NFS Macro analyst Nick Stamenkovic told AFP. Meanwhile London stocks closed down 1.5 percent at 7,220.38 points. Warning on 'punitive deal' May hinted that Britain might undercut the EU economically if it does not get a free trade deal. Excluded from the single market, May said London would be free to change its economic model and "set competitive tax rates". "There are some voices calling for a punitive deal that punishes Britain and discourages other countries from taking the same path. "That would be an act of calamitous self-harm for the countries of Europe." Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 but was often an uncomfortable partner as the grouping moved to greater integration, refusing to join the euro currency or the Schengen open borders zone. May said Britain voted to leave because Europe had not been flexible enough for voters on key issues, but Britain nonetheless wanted the EU to succeed, not unravel. She said Britain would remain a key intelligence and security partner in Europe, as she couched her speech as repositioning Britain as an outward-looking global trading player. Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe research initiative, said: "Her ability to achieve the ambitions she set out will ultimately hinge on what her partners are willing to give her." Scotland's nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said May's speech had made Scottish independence more likely. "The UK is heading for a hard Brexit, which threatens to be economically catastrophic," she said. A new independence referendum is now "even more likely". German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said May had "finally brought a bit more clarity". "We also want as good, close and trusting a relationship as possible," he said. Britain's Supreme Court is due to rule later this month on whether May must seek parliamentary approval before triggering Article 50, which could delay the start of negotiations. (AFP)

Britain will leave EU single market: British PM May

French President Francois Hollande replied bluntly on Monday to Donald Trump&#39;s criticism of the European Union, saying the EU &quot;has no need for outside advice&quot; on its affairs.

&quot;I say it here, Europe will always be willing to pursue transatlantic cooperation, but it will determine its path on the basis of its own interests and values,&quot; Hollande said at a ceremony in Paris for outgoing US ambassador Jane Hartley.

&quot;It has no need for outside advice to tell it what it has to do.&quot;

In a hard-hitting interview published on Sunday by The Times of London and Germany&#39;s Bild, the US president-elect praised Britain&#39;s vote to leave the EU and said Europe had been weakened by its policy on migrants.

He criticised as &quot;catastrophic&quot; Germany&#39;s decision to open its borders to Syrian refugees, hailed Brexit as &quot;a great thing&quot; and predicted other countries would follow Britain in leaving the EU.

&quot;(...) If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe... I think it&#39;s gonna be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it,&quot; said Trump.

Trump also said NATO was &quot;obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago... (and isn&#39;t) taking care of terror.&quot;

He also noted that only a small number of its 28 members met a commitment on levels of military spending.

Taking aim at Trump but without naming him, Hollande said relations between Europe and the United States &quot;have always been founded on in the same principles and values.

&quot;These values are called respect, mutual support at times of danger, but also commitment to democracy, the defence of freedoms, equality between men and women, the dignity of being a human being.&quot;

And, he added, the principle of offering asylum to those fleeing persecution was a core value shared in Europe and America too.

&#39;Obsolete&#39;

NATO &quot;will only become obsolete when threats become obsolete too,&quot; Hollande added tartly.

&quot;We are committed to our alliances, but we are also able to be self-sufficient strategically. This is what France has always defended, in the name of its independence, in total complementarity with NATO.&quot;

Separately, former French prime minister Manuel Valls said Trump&#39;s remarks amounted to a &quot;declaration of war on Europe,&quot; which the incoming US president &quot;quite simply suggests should break up.&quot;

&quot;Many people thought that Donald Trump, after his election, would calm down. But they forget that a populist may want to implement his programme,&quot; Valls told BFMTV news channel.

&quot;The only response to Donald Trump is European unity,&quot; said Valls.&nbsp;

&quot;Europe is far too divided but there is a joint awareness... we need a very strong response from Europe, France and Germany.&quot;

Valls, 54, quit Hollande&#39;s government last month to stand as a candidate in the Socialist Party&#39;s primary ahead presidential elections due in April.

He is struggling to garner support among grassroots Socialist voters over rightward shifts in policy he took during his two years and eight months in office.

(AFP)

Europe has been weakened by its policy on migrants, Trump had said, praising Britain's decision to leave the EU

French President Francois Hollande replied bluntly on Monday to Donald Trump's criticism of the European Union, saying the EU "has no need for outside advice" on its affairs. "I say it here, Europe will always be willing to pursue transatlantic cooperation, but it will determine its path on the basis of its own interests and values," Hollande said at a ceremony in Paris for outgoing US ambassador Jane Hartley. "It has no need for outside advice to tell it what it has to do." In a hard-hitting interview published on Sunday by The Times of London and Germany's Bild, the US president-elect praised Britain's vote to leave the EU and said Europe had been weakened by its policy on migrants. He criticised as "catastrophic" Germany's decision to open its borders to Syrian refugees, hailed Brexit as "a great thing" and predicted other countries would follow Britain in leaving the EU. "(...) If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe... I think it's gonna be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it," said Trump. Trump also said NATO was "obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago... (and isn't) taking care of terror." He also noted that only a small number of its 28 members met a commitment on levels of military spending. Taking aim at Trump but without naming him, Hollande said relations between Europe and the United States "have always been founded on in the same principles and values. "These values are called respect, mutual support at times of danger, but also commitment to democracy, the defence of freedoms, equality between men and women, the dignity of being a human being." And, he added, the principle of offering asylum to those fleeing persecution was a core value shared in Europe and America too. 'Obsolete' NATO "will only become obsolete when threats become obsolete too," Hollande added tartly. "We are committed to our alliances, but we are also able to be self-sufficient strategically. This is what France has always defended, in the name of its independence, in total complementarity with NATO." Separately, former French prime minister Manuel Valls said Trump's remarks amounted to a "declaration of war on Europe," which the incoming US president "quite simply suggests should break up." "Many people thought that Donald Trump, after his election, would calm down. But they forget that a populist may want to implement his programme," Valls told BFMTV news channel. "The only response to Donald Trump is European unity," said Valls. "Europe is far too divided but there is a joint awareness... we need a very strong response from Europe, France and Germany." Valls, 54, quit Hollande's government last month to stand as a candidate in the Socialist Party's primary ahead presidential elections due in April. He is struggling to garner support among grassroots Socialist voters over rightward shifts in policy he took during his two years and eight months in office. (AFP)

EU 'has no need for outside advice,' France's Hollande responds to Trump's criticism

US President-elect Donald Trump said that Brexit would turn out to be a great thing and other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union but promised to strike a swift bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom.

Speaking in an interview with The Times of London newspaper five days before his inauguration, Trump described himself as a big fan of Britain and endorsed last year&#39;s vote to leave the European Union.

&quot;I think Brexit is going to end up being a great thing,&quot; Trump said. &quot;I&rsquo;ll tell you, the fact that your pound sterling has gone down? Great. Because business is unbelievable in a lot of parts in the UK.&quot; The June 23 vote took many investors and chief executives by surprise, triggering the deepest political and financial turmoil in Britain since World War II and the biggest ever one-day fall in sterling against the dollar.&nbsp;Sterling has since fallen further against the US&nbsp;dollar as traders, businesses and investors fret about the type of relationship Britain will have with its biggest single trading partner after it leaves the European Union.

Trump&#39;s election campaign seized on the Brexit vote as an example of disillusioned voters rising up against the political establishment, and he forged a friendship with leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage - a fierce critic of Prime Minister Theresa May.&nbsp;Trump&#39;s election has raised questions over the future of the so-called &#39;special relationship&#39; that has underpinned close British-American ties for decades.&nbsp;But in the Times&nbsp;interview Trump played up his ancestral ties to Britain, saying his Scottish mother was &quot;so proud&quot; of Queen Elizabeth, and said he was eager to get a trade deal done.

&ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;I will be meeting with May. She&rsquo;s requesting a meeting and we&rsquo;ll have a meeting right after I get into the White House. We&rsquo;re going to get something done very quickly.&rdquo;

However, he predicted that more countries would seek to follow Britain&#39;s example and quit the EU.

&quot;I believe others will leave,&quot; he said. &quot;If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe . . . I think it&rsquo;s going to&nbsp;be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it.&quot;

He singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel - whose open-door policies have allowed about 1.1 million refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere into Germany since mid-2015 - calling her immigration policy a catastrophic mistake.

US President-elect Donald Trump said other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union

US President-elect Donald Trump said that Brexit would turn out to be a great thing and other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union but promised to strike a swift bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom. Speaking in an interview with The Times of London newspaper five days before his inauguration, Trump described himself as a big fan of Britain and endorsed last year's vote to leave the European Union. "I think Brexit is going to end up being a great thing," Trump said. "I’ll tell you, the fact that your pound sterling has gone down? Great. Because business is unbelievable in a lot of parts in the UK." The June 23 vote took many investors and chief executives by surprise, triggering the deepest political and financial turmoil in Britain since World War II and the biggest ever one-day fall in sterling against the dollar. Sterling has since fallen further against the US dollar as traders, businesses and investors fret about the type of relationship Britain will have with its biggest single trading partner after it leaves the European Union. Trump's election campaign seized on the Brexit vote as an example of disillusioned voters rising up against the political establishment, and he forged a friendship with leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage - a fierce critic of Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump's election has raised questions over the future of the so-called 'special relationship' that has underpinned close British-American ties for decades. But in the Times interview Trump played up his ancestral ties to Britain, saying his Scottish mother was "so proud" of Queen Elizabeth, and said he was eager to get a trade deal done. “We’re going to work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides,” Trump said. “I will be meeting with May. She’s requesting a meeting and we’ll have a meeting right after I get into the White House. We’re going to get something done very quickly.” However, he predicted that more countries would seek to follow Britain's example and quit the EU. "I believe others will leave," he said. "If refugees keep pouring into different parts of Europe . . . I think it’s going to be very hard to keep it together because people are angry about it." He singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel - whose open-door policies have allowed about 1.1 million refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere into Germany since mid-2015 - calling her immigration policy a catastrophic mistake.

Brexit a great thing, EU countries may follow Britain: Trump

Britain warned Sunday it might undercut the EU economically if it cannot obtain both single market access and immigration controls, as Prime Minister Theresa May prepared her big Brexit strategy speech.

Britain would be forced to &quot;change our economic model&quot; in order to remain competitive if it is shut out from access to the single market, finance minister Philip Hammond said.

His intervention came as newspapers said May was planning a clean divorce from the European Union when she sets out her Brexit strategy in a major speech on Tuesday.

May aims to launch two years of EU departure negotiations when she triggers the Article 50 exit process by the end of March, although a legal challenge is still pending before the country&#39;s Supreme Court.

She has been under pressure to reveal her proposals for the talks that will establish the future relationship between Britain and the EU.

Matching reports in several weekly newspapers said she was prepared to accept a so-called &quot;hard Brexit&quot;: pulling out of the single market, the European customs union and the European Court of Justice, in order to regain control of EU immigration.

Red line on immigration

Hammond, in an interview with Germany&#39;s Welt am Sonntag newspaper, said Britain could not compromise on the main message from the June referendum vote to leave the EU: stemming the flow of immigrants from the bloc.

EU citizens would be free to travel to Britain and do business there -- but the debate was over the right to work, settle and set up businesses, he said.

&quot;Clearly we need people to come and work in our economy to keep it functioning,&quot; the chancellor of the Exchequer said.

But as for having no control, &quot;that has to stop&quot;.

He hinted that London was ready to push through aggressive cuts to business taxes to ensure British-based firms remained competitive in the face of EU tariffs.

Hammond said he wanted Britain to remain a &quot;recognisably European-style economy with European-style taxation systems, European-style regulation systems.&quot;

However, London would have to change course &quot;if we are forced&quot;, in order to &quot;regain competitiveness&quot;.

&quot;The British people are not going to lie down and say, too bad,&quot; he said, adding &quot;we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness. And you can be sure we will do whatever we have to do&quot;.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told BBC television that the government&#39;s plans seemed like an unwise &quot;recipe for some kind of trade war with Europe&quot;.

Stop the &#39;insults&#39; plea

In Tuesday&#39;s speech, May will call for Britain to unite and get behind Brexit, pleading for an end to the &quot;insults&quot; and rancour between Leavers and Remainers, Downing Street said.

The speech would call on Britain to &quot;set aside old divisions, and unite to make a success of Brexit&quot;, said May&#39;s office.

May has revealed little so far on her negotiating position.

The Sunday Telegraph quoted a government source as saying: &quot;She&#39;s gone for the full works. People will know when she said &#39;Brexit means Brexit&#39;, she really meant it.&quot;

Hammond said he was expecting to start &quot;substantive negotiations&quot; just weeks after Article 50 is triggered.

&quot;We are ambitious to do this as quickly as possible,&quot; he said, and &quot;move seamlessly&quot; to the new arrangement in 2019, though there could be an &quot;interim period&quot; before it kicks in.

Bookmakers believe May will not trigger Article 50 by the end of March. The Supreme Court is considering an appeal against an earlier ruling that she cannot do so without the assent of parliament in London.

The EU&#39;s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Saturday the bloc must be aware of the risk to financial stability during what are expected to be very tough talks with Britain.

(AFP)

Britain will change its economic model if it is shut out from access to the single market

Britain warned Sunday it might undercut the EU economically if it cannot obtain both single market access and immigration controls, as Prime Minister Theresa May prepared her big Brexit strategy speech. Britain would be forced to "change our economic model" in order to remain competitive if it is shut out from access to the single market, finance minister Philip Hammond said. His intervention came as newspapers said May was planning a clean divorce from the European Union when she sets out her Brexit strategy in a major speech on Tuesday. May aims to launch two years of EU departure negotiations when she triggers the Article 50 exit process by the end of March, although a legal challenge is still pending before the country's Supreme Court. She has been under pressure to reveal her proposals for the talks that will establish the future relationship between Britain and the EU. Matching reports in several weekly newspapers said she was prepared to accept a so-called "hard Brexit": pulling out of the single market, the European customs union and the European Court of Justice, in order to regain control of EU immigration. Red line on immigration Hammond, in an interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, said Britain could not compromise on the main message from the June referendum vote to leave the EU: stemming the flow of immigrants from the bloc. EU citizens would be free to travel to Britain and do business there -- but the debate was over the right to work, settle and set up businesses, he said. "Clearly we need people to come and work in our economy to keep it functioning," the chancellor of the Exchequer said. But as for having no control, "that has to stop". He hinted that London was ready to push through aggressive cuts to business taxes to ensure British-based firms remained competitive in the face of EU tariffs. Hammond said he wanted Britain to remain a "recognisably European-style economy with European-style taxation systems, European-style regulation systems." However, London would have to change course "if we are forced", in order to "regain competitiveness". "The British people are not going to lie down and say, too bad," he said, adding "we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness. And you can be sure we will do whatever we have to do". Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told BBC television that the government's plans seemed like an unwise "recipe for some kind of trade war with Europe". Stop the 'insults' plea In Tuesday's speech, May will call for Britain to unite and get behind Brexit, pleading for an end to the "insults" and rancour between Leavers and Remainers, Downing Street said. The speech would call on Britain to "set aside old divisions, and unite to make a success of Brexit", said May's office. May has revealed little so far on her negotiating position. The Sunday Telegraph quoted a government source as saying: "She's gone for the full works. People will know when she said 'Brexit means Brexit', she really meant it." Hammond said he was expecting to start "substantive negotiations" just weeks after Article 50 is triggered. "We are ambitious to do this as quickly as possible," he said, and "move seamlessly" to the new arrangement in 2019, though there could be an "interim period" before it kicks in. Bookmakers believe May will not trigger Article 50 by the end of March. The Supreme Court is considering an appeal against an earlier ruling that she cannot do so without the assent of parliament in London. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Saturday the bloc must be aware of the risk to financial stability during what are expected to be very tough talks with Britain. (AFP)

Britain threatens to undercut EU if Brexit plans fail

Britain could change its economic model to regain competitiveness if it were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, British finance minister Philip Hammond said in a German newspaper interview published on Sunday.

In a thinly veiled threat that Britain could use its corporate tax as a form of leverage in Brexit negotiations, Hammond told Welt am Sonntag he hoped Britain would remain a European-style economy with corresponding tax and regulation systems.

&quot;But if we are forced to be something different, then we will have to become something different,&quot; Hammond said when asked directly about Britain&#39;s plans to lower corporate tax.

&quot;If we have no access to the European market, if we are closed off, if Britain were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, then we could suffer from economic damage at least in the short-term,&quot; he said.

&quot;In this case, we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness,&quot; Hammond said. &quot;We will change our model, and we will come back, and we will be competitively engaged.&quot;

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the EU must consider limiting Britain&#39;s access to its market if London fails to accept the bloc&#39;s &#39;four freedoms&#39; in Brexit negotiations.

The EU&#39;s single market emerged from the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on European integration. This enshrines the EU&#39;s &quot;four freedoms&quot; - of movement of goods, capital, people, and services.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly said she will not reveal her Brexit negotiating strategy before triggering Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, a step expected by the end of March.

May has said she wants Britain to regain control over immigration, restore its sovereignty and also establish the best possible trading relations with the EU.

But senior EU leaders have warned Britain there could be no &quot;cherry picking&quot;, and Merkel has urged the 27 remaining EU states not to allow themselves to be divided.

Hammond said in the interview Britain had not taken a firm position yet on what form of immigration controls it wants.

&quot;But we are aware that the message from the referendum is that we must control our immigration policy,&quot; he added.

Hammond said Britain did not want to close its doors completely to EU citizens who wanted to work in the UK.

&quot;Clearly we need people to come and work in our economy to keep it functioning,&quot; Hammond said. &quot;But we must have overall control.&quot;

(Reuters)

Theresa May has repeatedly said she will not reveal her Brexit negotiating strategy before triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty

Britain could change its economic model to regain competitiveness if it were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, British finance minister Philip Hammond said in a German newspaper interview published on Sunday. In a thinly veiled threat that Britain could use its corporate tax as a form of leverage in Brexit negotiations, Hammond told Welt am Sonntag he hoped Britain would remain a European-style economy with corresponding tax and regulation systems. "But if we are forced to be something different, then we will have to become something different," Hammond said when asked directly about Britain's plans to lower corporate tax. "If we have no access to the European market, if we are closed off, if Britain were to leave the European Union without an agreement on market access, then we could suffer from economic damage at least in the short-term," he said. "In this case, we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness," Hammond said. "We will change our model, and we will come back, and we will be competitively engaged." German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the EU must consider limiting Britain's access to its market if London fails to accept the bloc's 'four freedoms' in Brexit negotiations. The EU's single market emerged from the 1992 Maastricht Treaty on European integration. This enshrines the EU's "four freedoms" - of movement of goods, capital, people, and services. British Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly said she will not reveal her Brexit negotiating strategy before triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, a step expected by the end of March. May has said she wants Britain to regain control over immigration, restore its sovereignty and also establish the best possible trading relations with the EU. But senior EU leaders have warned Britain there could be no "cherry picking", and Merkel has urged the 27 remaining EU states not to allow themselves to be divided. Hammond said in the interview Britain had not taken a firm position yet on what form of immigration controls it wants. "But we are aware that the message from the referendum is that we must control our immigration policy," he added. Hammond said Britain did not want to close its doors completely to EU citizens who wanted to work in the UK. "Clearly we need people to come and work in our economy to keep it functioning," Hammond said. "But we must have overall control." (Reuters)

Britain to change 'economic model' if it leaves EU without market access, says finance minister

Germany took in 280,000 asylum seekers in 2016, about one-third of the previous year`s record figure, interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Wednesday.

At the height of the huge refugee and migrant influx to Europe in 2015, a total of 890,000 people came seeking safe haven in the EU`s top economy.

The migration office said that it received about 745,000 asylum requests in 2016 from people who had arrived that year or the year before.

Of these, 36 per cent were from refugees from war-torn Syria, 17 per cent&nbsp;Afghans and 13 percent&nbsp;Iraqis, it said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who faces an election expected in September, has been harshly criticised for the mass inflow, and her government has taken a series of measures to reduce arrivals.

The reduced numbers for 2016 &quot;show that the measures which the German government and the European Union have taken are working,&quot; said de Maiziere at a press conference.&nbsp;

&quot;We have managed to bring order to the migrant situation,&quot; he added.

The mass influx eased off sharply in early 2016 after several Balkans transit countries shuttered their borders.

The EU also reached a controversial deal with Turkey, spearheaded by Germany, to stop the influx to the Greek islands.

In further measures, Berlin declared some western Balkans states &quot;safe countries of origin&quot;, making it harder for their citizens to obtain refugee status in Germany.

It is seeking similar designations for Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and also plans to pressure the Maghreb countries, possibly by denying foreign aid, if they drag their feet on taking back rejected asylum seekers.

(AFP)

At the height of the refugee influx to Europe in 2015, a total of 890,000 people came seeking safe haven in the EU`s top economy

Germany took in 280,000 asylum seekers in 2016, about one-third of the previous year`s record figure, interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Wednesday. At the height of the huge refugee and migrant influx to Europe in 2015, a total of 890,000 people came seeking safe haven in the EU`s top economy. The migration office said that it received about 745,000 asylum requests in 2016 from people who had arrived that year or the year before. Of these, 36 per cent were from refugees from war-torn Syria, 17 per cent Afghans and 13 percent Iraqis, it said. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who faces an election expected in September, has been harshly criticised for the mass inflow, and her government has taken a series of measures to reduce arrivals. The reduced numbers for 2016 "show that the measures which the German government and the European Union have taken are working," said de Maiziere at a press conference. "We have managed to bring order to the migrant situation," he added. The mass influx eased off sharply in early 2016 after several Balkans transit countries shuttered their borders. The EU also reached a controversial deal with Turkey, spearheaded by Germany, to stop the influx to the Greek islands. In further measures, Berlin declared some western Balkans states "safe countries of origin", making it harder for their citizens to obtain refugee status in Germany. It is seeking similar designations for Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, and also plans to pressure the Maghreb countries, possibly by denying foreign aid, if they drag their feet on taking back rejected asylum seekers. (AFP)

Germany's interior minister: Asylum-seeker arrivals down two-thirds in 2016

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday it was wrong to say she was talking about a &quot;hard Brexit&quot;, after the pound fell to two-month lows following an interview she gave on Sunday.

The pound dropped after traders felt May had indicated during the interview that Britain would dramatically rework trade ties with the EU after Brexit.

Asked if her comments had been interpreted wrongly, May said: &quot;I&#39;m tempted to say that the people who are getting it wrong are those who print things saying I`m talking about a hard Brexit, (that) it is absolutely inevitable there`s a hard Brexit.&quot;

&quot;I don`t accept the terms hard and soft Brexit. What we&#39;re doing is going to get an ambitious, good and best possible deal for the United Kingdom in terms of ... trading with and operating within the single European market,&quot; she added.

(Reuters)

The Pound fell to two-month lows after May's interview indicated that Britain will dramatically rework trade-ties with the European Union

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday it was wrong to say she was talking about a "hard Brexit", after the pound fell to two-month lows following an interview she gave on Sunday. The pound dropped after traders felt May had indicated during the interview that Britain would dramatically rework trade ties with the EU after Brexit. Asked if her comments had been interpreted wrongly, May said: "I'm tempted to say that the people who are getting it wrong are those who print things saying I`m talking about a hard Brexit, (that) it is absolutely inevitable there`s a hard Brexit." "I don`t accept the terms hard and soft Brexit. What we're doing is going to get an ambitious, good and best possible deal for the United Kingdom in terms of ... trading with and operating within the single European market," she added. (Reuters)

British Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to allay fears about 'hard' Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would set out her strategy for Brexit over the coming weeks, denying suggestions she was &quot;muddled&quot; in the pursuit of what she called the right relationship with the EU.

In her first interview of the year, May ignored growing calls from business leaders, lawmakers and opposition leaders for more detail on her strategy to leave the European Union, offering little beyond a pledge to get the best possible deal.

She repeated that what is a crucial issue on both sides of the EU debate - whether curbing immigration into Britain will be prioritised over preferential access to the bloc&#39;s single market - was not a &quot;binary choice&quot; and said that the country would not be keeping &quot;bits&quot; of EU membership.

&quot;First of all I will be setting out some more details in the coming weeks as we look ahead to triggering Article 50,&quot; she said, referring to the start of the formal divorce procedure that she will invoke before the end of March.

&quot;But what I am saying is that I think it is wrong to look at this as just a binary issue, as to either you have control of immigration or you have a good trade deal - I don&#39;t see it as a binary issue.&quot;

EU officials say Britain cannot have access to its single market of 500 million consumers without accepting the principle of free movement and have repeatedly warned May against trying to &quot;cherry pick&quot; the profitable parts of their union.

May said she was aiming for &quot;an ambitious deal&quot;, shrugging off a suggestion by Britain&#39;s former ambassador to the EU, Ivan Rogers, that her government was &quot;muddled&quot; in its approach to some of the most complicated negotiations the country has held since World War Two.

&quot;Our thinking on this isn&#39;t muddled at all,&quot; she said.

&quot;What I am talking about is getting the right relationship for the UK with the EU. We mustn&#39;t think about this as somehow we are coming out of membership but we want to keep bits of membership.&quot;

But beyond stating that she would provide more detail in the coming weeks, May offered little further insight into her strategy - something that the first minister for Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, described as &quot;unacceptable&quot;.

&quot;I don&#39;t feel as if I know any more about her negotiating objectives today than I did six months ago, and probably what&#39;s more worrying than that, I&#39;m not sure she knows more about her negotiating objectives than she did back then as well,&quot; Sturgeon told the BBC.

Increasingly under fire, May, appointed prime minister after Britain&#39;s EU referendum in June, will use a speech on Monday to try to switch the focus from Brexit to her vision of a &quot;shared society&quot; which protects those families who are just managing.

&quot;We must...deliver real social reform across every layer of society so that those who feel that the system is stacked against them - those just above the threshold that attracts the government&#39;s focus today yet those who are by no means rich or well off - are also given the help they need,&quot; she will say.

(Reuters)

May ignored growing calls from business leaders, lawmakers and opposition leaders for more detail on her Brexit strategy

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday she would set out her strategy for Brexit over the coming weeks, denying suggestions she was "muddled" in the pursuit of what she called the right relationship with the EU. In her first interview of the year, May ignored growing calls from business leaders, lawmakers and opposition leaders for more detail on her strategy to leave the European Union, offering little beyond a pledge to get the best possible deal. She repeated that what is a crucial issue on both sides of the EU debate - whether curbing immigration into Britain will be prioritised over preferential access to the bloc's single market - was not a "binary choice" and said that the country would not be keeping "bits" of EU membership. "First of all I will be setting out some more details in the coming weeks as we look ahead to triggering Article 50," she said, referring to the start of the formal divorce procedure that she will invoke before the end of March. "But what I am saying is that I think it is wrong to look at this as just a binary issue, as to either you have control of immigration or you have a good trade deal - I don't see it as a binary issue." EU officials say Britain cannot have access to its single market of 500 million consumers without accepting the principle of free movement and have repeatedly warned May against trying to "cherry pick" the profitable parts of their union. May said she was aiming for "an ambitious deal", shrugging off a suggestion by Britain's former ambassador to the EU, Ivan Rogers, that her government was "muddled" in its approach to some of the most complicated negotiations the country has held since World War Two. "Our thinking on this isn't muddled at all," she said. "What I am talking about is getting the right relationship for the UK with the EU. We mustn't think about this as somehow we are coming out of membership but we want to keep bits of membership." But beyond stating that she would provide more detail in the coming weeks, May offered little further insight into her strategy - something that the first minister for Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, described as "unacceptable". "I don't feel as if I know any more about her negotiating objectives today than I did six months ago, and probably what's more worrying than that, I'm not sure she knows more about her negotiating objectives than she did back then as well," Sturgeon told the BBC. Increasingly under fire, May, appointed prime minister after Britain's EU referendum in June, will use a speech on Monday to try to switch the focus from Brexit to her vision of a "shared society" which protects those families who are just managing. "We must...deliver real social reform across every layer of society so that those who feel that the system is stacked against them - those just above the threshold that attracts the government's focus today yet those who are by no means rich or well off - are also given the help they need," she will say. (Reuters)

Britain will not keep 'bits' of EU membership: PM Theresa May

More than half a million South Koreans marked New Year&#39;s Eve with a massive protest Saturday calling for the immediate arrest and ouster of impeached President Park Geun-Hye.

Candle-carrying and banner-waving protestors marched towards key buildings in Seoul including the presidential Blue House and the prime minister&#39;s office.

Police figures were unavailable but organisers estimated crowd numbers to be more than 600,000.

&quot;Park Geun-Hye step down. Go to prison now,&quot; they chanted.

Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over a corruption scandal in which she allegedly colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to wrest donations from large conglomerates to two dubious foundations.

The case is now being considered by the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to rule on the impeachment.

&quot;I came here to help usher in a new year that has no Park Geun-Hye&quot;, Kang Jae-Chun, who was at the protest with his two children, told AFP.

Demonstrators also planned to take part in a midnight ceremony in which a large bronze bell in the city centre is rung to herald in the new year.

It was the tenth protest calling for Park&#39;s immediate departure from office.

But Park, who has been suspended from her duties since the impeachment vote, has remained defiant, declaring she will wait until the Constitutional Court arrives at a decision.

Earlier on Saturday, former health minister Moon Hyung-Pyo was arrested under a court order in a widening probe to determine whether Park and Choi took bribes from businesses including Samsung.

Moon, who is now head of the National Pension Service (NPS), admitted to pressuring the state-run fund to back a controversial merger of two Samsung units &nbsp;-- &nbsp;Cheil Industries and Samsung C&amp;T -- last year when he served as health minister.

The acquisition was seen as a crucial step to ensure a smooth father-to-son power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong, scion of Samsung&#39;s founding family.

Critics said it undervalued Samsung C&amp;T stock but NPS -- the world&#39;s third largest public pension fund and a major Samsung shareholder -- backed the deal, allegedly incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for NPS subscribers.

Investigators reportedly plan to question Lee next month to determine whether he told Samsung Electronics executives to funnel millions of dollars into questionable foundations and companies controlled by Choi in return for NPS&#39; backing.

Lee said at a parliamentary hearing this month he was not aware of the money transfers. 
 
(AFP)

Tim Barrow replaces Ivan Rogers who quit criticising Brexit preparation

More than half a million South Koreans marked New Year's Eve with a massive protest Saturday calling for the immediate arrest and ouster of impeached President Park Geun-Hye. Candle-carrying and banner-waving protestors marched towards key buildings in Seoul including the presidential Blue House and the prime minister's office. Police figures were unavailable but organisers estimated crowd numbers to be more than 600,000. "Park Geun-Hye step down. Go to prison now," they chanted. Parliament voted on December 9 to impeach Park over a corruption scandal in which she allegedly colluded with her friend, Choi Soon-Sil, to wrest donations from large conglomerates to two dubious foundations. The case is now being considered by the Constitutional Court, which has up to 180 days to rule on the impeachment. "I came here to help usher in a new year that has no Park Geun-Hye", Kang Jae-Chun, who was at the protest with his two children, told AFP. Demonstrators also planned to take part in a midnight ceremony in which a large bronze bell in the city centre is rung to herald in the new year. It was the tenth protest calling for Park's immediate departure from office. But Park, who has been suspended from her duties since the impeachment vote, has remained defiant, declaring she will wait until the Constitutional Court arrives at a decision. Earlier on Saturday, former health minister Moon Hyung-Pyo was arrested under a court order in a widening probe to determine whether Park and Choi took bribes from businesses including Samsung. Moon, who is now head of the National Pension Service (NPS), admitted to pressuring the state-run fund to back a controversial merger of two Samsung units -- Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T -- last year when he served as health minister. The acquisition was seen as a crucial step to ensure a smooth father-to-son power transfer to Lee Jae-Yong, scion of Samsung's founding family. Critics said it undervalued Samsung C&T stock but NPS -- the world's third largest public pension fund and a major Samsung shareholder -- backed the deal, allegedly incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for NPS subscribers. Investigators reportedly plan to question Lee next month to determine whether he told Samsung Electronics executives to funnel millions of dollars into questionable foundations and companies controlled by Choi in return for NPS' backing. Lee said at a parliamentary hearing this month he was not aware of the money transfers. (AFP)

Britain's Prime Minister May appoints new EU envoy

Britain&#39;s ambassador to the European Union has criticised London&#39;s serious lack of negotiating experience ahead of Brexit talks, hours after announcing his resignation on Tuesday.

Ivan Rogers stepped down from his role less than three months before Britain is due to begin talks to leave the bloc, cutting short his term which was due to end in October.

A highly-regarded diplomat, Rogers was criticised last month for saying it would take 10 years for Britain to conclude a trade deal with the EU.

In a lengthy resignation email to staff at UKRep, the office which represents Britain in negotiations in the EU, he urged colleagues to speak up even when their views were not welcome.

&quot;I hope you will continue to challenge ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking and that you will never be afraid to speak the truth to those in power.&nbsp;

&quot;I hope that you will support each other in those difficult moments where you have to deliver messages that are disagreeable to those who need to hear them,&quot; Rogers said in the note, published by The Times newspaper&#39;.

Rogers, who has held the post since November 2013 and previously served as prime minister David Cameron&#39;s Europe adviser, also criticised the British government&#39;s lack of preparation for the divorce proceedings.&nbsp;

&quot;Serious multilateral negotiating experience is in short supply in Whitehall, and that is not the case in the Commission or in the Council,&quot; said Rogers, pinpointing a gap in preparedness for Brexit talks between the British government and EU institutions.

Britain voted 52 per cent in favour of leaving the bloc in the country&#39;s June 23 referendum and anti-EU campaigners have since claimed Rogers has a pessimistic view of Brexit.

But supporters of the outgoing EU envoy have meanwhile praised him for being a realist, with credibility gained from his lengthy experience.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(AFP)

Ivan Rogers stepped down from his role less than three months before Britain is due to begin talks to leave the EU

Britain's ambassador to the European Union has criticised London's serious lack of negotiating experience ahead of Brexit talks, hours after announcing his resignation on Tuesday. Ivan Rogers stepped down from his role less than three months before Britain is due to begin talks to leave the bloc, cutting short his term which was due to end in October. A highly-regarded diplomat, Rogers was criticised last month for saying it would take 10 years for Britain to conclude a trade deal with the EU. In a lengthy resignation email to staff at UKRep, the office which represents Britain in negotiations in the EU, he urged colleagues to speak up even when their views were not welcome. "I hope you will continue to challenge ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking and that you will never be afraid to speak the truth to those in power. "I hope that you will support each other in those difficult moments where you have to deliver messages that are disagreeable to those who need to hear them," Rogers said in the note, published by The Times newspaper'. Rogers, who has held the post since November 2013 and previously served as prime minister David Cameron's Europe adviser, also criticised the British government's lack of preparation for the divorce proceedings. "Serious multilateral negotiating experience is in short supply in Whitehall, and that is not the case in the Commission or in the Council," said Rogers, pinpointing a gap in preparedness for Brexit talks between the British government and EU institutions. Britain voted 52 per cent in favour of leaving the bloc in the country's June 23 referendum and anti-EU campaigners have since claimed Rogers has a pessimistic view of Brexit. But supporters of the outgoing EU envoy have meanwhile praised him for being a realist, with credibility gained from his lengthy experience. (AFP)

Britain's EU ambassador quits, criticises Brexit preparations

The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing &quot;misleading&quot; information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22-billion buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service.

The European Commission said the EU&#39;s green light of the buyout, announced in October 2014, was not in jeopardy but the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines.&nbsp;

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With the charge, Facebook joins Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft among the US-based tech giants caught in major EU competition probes.

&quot;The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Facebook alleging the company provided incorrect or misleading information during the Commission&#39;s 2014 investigation&quot; of the buyout, the EU&#39;s executive arm said in a statement.

Facebook is accused of misleading the EU with a claim that it was technically impossible for it to merge users between the two services.&nbsp;

But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform.

The update by WhatsApp raises &quot;concerns that Facebook intentionally, or negligently, submitted incorrect or misleading information to the commission,&quot; the EU said.

The company has until January 31 to respond to the charge sheet. It faces a fine of one per cent of annual sales, which stood at a whopping $18 billion in 2015.

&quot;We respect the Commission&#39;s process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith,&quot; a Facebook spokesperson said in an email.

The rare accusation by Brussels comes after the EU&#39;s powerful competition chief Margarethe Vestager said she &quot;will keep a close eye on how companies use data&quot;.

The commission is worried that the value of user data is underestimated in tech mergers, though Brussels waved through the recent buyout of LinkedIn by Microsoft despite these concerns.

Tensions between Brussels and Washington have sharpened since EU regulators turned a focus on US tech companies. Vestager in August ordered Apple to pay back 13 billion euros in taxes and her teams are running several cases against Google.

(Reuters)

The European Commission said the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines

The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing "misleading" information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22-billion buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service. The European Commission said the EU's green light of the buyout, announced in October 2014, was not in jeopardy but the social network could face almost two hundred million euros in fines. But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform × With the charge, Facebook joins Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft among the US-based tech giants caught in major EU competition probes. "The European Commission has sent a Statement of Objections to Facebook alleging the company provided incorrect or misleading information during the Commission's 2014 investigation" of the buyout, the EU's executive arm said in a statement. Facebook is accused of misleading the EU with a claim that it was technically impossible for it to merge users between the two services. But WhatsApp in August said that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better-targeted advertising and to fight spam on the platform. The update by WhatsApp raises "concerns that Facebook intentionally, or negligently, submitted incorrect or misleading information to the commission," the EU said. The company has until January 31 to respond to the charge sheet. It faces a fine of one per cent of annual sales, which stood at a whopping $18 billion in 2015. "We respect the Commission's process and are confident that a full review of the facts will confirm Facebook has acted in good faith," a Facebook spokesperson said in an email. The rare accusation by Brussels comes after the EU's powerful competition chief Margarethe Vestager said she "will keep a close eye on how companies use data". The commission is worried that the value of user data is underestimated in tech mergers, though Brussels waved through the recent buyout of LinkedIn by Microsoft despite these concerns. Tensions between Brussels and Washington have sharpened since EU regulators turned a focus on US tech companies. Vestager in August ordered Apple to pay back 13 billion euros in taxes and her teams are running several cases against Google. (Reuters)

EU charges Facebook over 'misleading' info during Whatsapp buyout

Ireland accused the European Commission on Monday of exceeding its powers and interfering with the EU member&#39;s national sovereignty over tax affairs in ruling that Apple owes Dublin billions of euros in taxes, saying it had failed to give proper reasons for its decision.&nbsp;

In September the Irish government agreed to join with Apple in appealing against the Commission&#39;s order that the US&nbsp;company must pay Dublin up to 13 billion euros ($14 billion) after ruling the firm had received illegal state aid in avoiding paying such taxes.

On Monday both Ireland and Apple laid out the legal arguments that would form the basis of their appeals.&nbsp;

&quot;The Commission has manifestly breached its duty to provide a clear and unequivocal statement of reasons in its decision, in relying simultaneously on grossly divergent factual scenarios, in contradicting itself as to the source of the rule that Ireland is said to have breached, and in suggesting that Ireland granted aid in relation to profits taxable in other jurisdictions,&quot; the Irish government said in a statement.&nbsp;

Dublin, which is seeking to protect a tax regime that has helped attract multinational companies that employ around 10 per cent of the country&#39;s workforce, listed a number of areas where it believed the commission had misapplied tax rules.

Firstly, it said Apple&#39;s subsidiaries did not receive special treatment in the 1991 and 2007 tax opinions at the centre of the case, and that the company&#39;s treatment did not depart from normal taxation, the statement said.&nbsp;

It then said the commission had overstated the level of profits attributable to Apple subsidiaries Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe. &nbsp;It said important decisions within the companies were made in the United States and the profits derived from these decisions were not properly attributable to them.&nbsp;

&quot;The Commission&rsquo;s attribution of Apple&rsquo;s intellectual property licences to the Irish branches of Apple Operations Europe and Apple Sales International is not consistent with Irish law,&quot; it said.

The Irish government said the Commission had incorrectly applied the &quot;arm&#39;s length&quot; principle, according to which individual group members of a multinational enterprise must be taxed on the basis that they act at arm&#39;s length in their dealings with each other.

And it said the Commission &quot;failed to act impartially and in accordance with its duty of care&quot; because it did not &quot;clearly explain&quot; its state aid theory during the investigation.&nbsp;

The European Commission is expected to shortly publish a more detailed version of its ruling against Apple.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Ireland attracts multinational companies on the basis of their unique tax laws, which have significantly lower rates than most countries

Ireland accused the European Commission on Monday of exceeding its powers and interfering with the EU member's national sovereignty over tax affairs in ruling that Apple owes Dublin billions of euros in taxes, saying it had failed to give proper reasons for its decision. In September the Irish government agreed to join with Apple in appealing against the Commission's order that the US company must pay Dublin up to 13 billion euros ($14 billion) after ruling the firm had received illegal state aid in avoiding paying such taxes. On Monday both Ireland and Apple laid out the legal arguments that would form the basis of their appeals. "The Commission has manifestly breached its duty to provide a clear and unequivocal statement of reasons in its decision, in relying simultaneously on grossly divergent factual scenarios, in contradicting itself as to the source of the rule that Ireland is said to have breached, and in suggesting that Ireland granted aid in relation to profits taxable in other jurisdictions," the Irish government said in a statement. Dublin, which is seeking to protect a tax regime that has helped attract multinational companies that employ around 10 per cent of the country's workforce, listed a number of areas where it believed the commission had misapplied tax rules. Firstly, it said Apple's subsidiaries did not receive special treatment in the 1991 and 2007 tax opinions at the centre of the case, and that the company's treatment did not depart from normal taxation, the statement said. It then said the commission had overstated the level of profits attributable to Apple subsidiaries Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe. It said important decisions within the companies were made in the United States and the profits derived from these decisions were not properly attributable to them. "The Commission’s attribution of Apple’s intellectual property licences to the Irish branches of Apple Operations Europe and Apple Sales International is not consistent with Irish law," it said. The Irish government said the Commission had incorrectly applied the "arm's length" principle, according to which individual group members of a multinational enterprise must be taxed on the basis that they act at arm's length in their dealings with each other. And it said the Commission "failed to act impartially and in accordance with its duty of care" because it did not "clearly explain" its state aid theory during the investigation. The European Commission is expected to shortly publish a more detailed version of its ruling against Apple. (Reuters)

Ireland fights in court to reject $14 billion in taxes from Apple

The European Union and the Malian government signed an agreement to enable the return of migrants to root out &quot;illegal migration&quot;, AFP reported today.&nbsp;

The migrants sent back would be the ones who have reached Europe&#39;s shores and&nbsp;whose asylum requests have been refused.

&quot;It is the first time the EU establishes such a precise mechanism with an African country with regards to returning failed asylum seekers,&quot; said a statement from the Dutch foreign ministry yesterday, which signed the agreement on the EU&#39;s behalf.

According to the agreement, Mali and neighbouring countries should ramp up border security to help fight against smugglers, AFP said.

EU leaders in 2015 had agreed to set up a&nbsp;1.8-billion-euro ($1.9-billion) fund to help address the problem of illegal migration, in return of which African countries had agreed to repatriate those who had no right to remain in Europe.&nbsp;

Under the deal, &quot;Malian civil servants will travel to EU member states to help determine the identity of migrants, in order to accelerate their return&quot;, the statement said.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The agreement aims to send back those who have reached Europe and whose asylum requests have been refused

The European Union and the Malian government signed an agreement to enable the return of migrants to root out "illegal migration", AFP reported today. The migrants sent back would be the ones who have reached Europe's shores and whose asylum requests have been refused. "It is the first time the EU establishes such a precise mechanism with an African country with regards to returning failed asylum seekers," said a statement from the Dutch foreign ministry yesterday, which signed the agreement on the EU's behalf. According to the agreement, Mali and neighbouring countries should ramp up border security to help fight against smugglers, AFP said. EU leaders in 2015 had agreed to set up a 1.8-billion-euro ($1.9-billion) fund to help address the problem of illegal migration, in return of which African countries had agreed to repatriate those who had no right to remain in Europe. Under the deal, "Malian civil servants will travel to EU member states to help determine the identity of migrants, in order to accelerate their return", the statement said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

European Union, Mali sign deal to return migrants

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government&#39;s main political ally, the Danish People&#39;s Party, suggested on national television.

&quot;The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back,&quot; Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday.

Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning.

Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line.

The Danish People&#39;s Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year&#39;s general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament.

Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial &quot;jewellery bill&quot;.

In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders.

(Reuters)

Kenneth Berth said on Tuesday migrant boats trying to reach the EU illegally should either be shot at or be turned around

Security forces should shoot at the boats of migrants trying to reach the European Union illegally, a member of parliament for the Danish government's main political ally, the Danish People's Party, suggested on national television. "The only efficient way is to turn the boats and say: You cannot sail within this national border and if you do, you will either be shot at or be turned around and sailed back," Kenneth Berth, the EU spokesman for anti-immigrant party, said on broadcaster DK4 on Tuesday. Berth later softened his statement on Facebook, saying he did not mean that people should be shot at, but that NATO-ships could shoot in the air as a warning. Party spokesman Soren Sondergaard told Reuters that shooting at refugees is not the official party line. The Danish People's Party got 21 per cent of the popular vote in last year's general election, making it the second-largest party in parliament. Denmark has implemented tough immigration policies since a heavy influx of refugees last year, including border control and a controversial "jewellery bill". In August, the government proposed an emergency law, allowing it to reject asylum seekers at its borders. (Reuters)

Danish MP suggests shooting at boats carrying migrants

Britain&#39;s Supreme Court began a&nbsp;historic hearing on Monday to decide whether parliament has to approve the government&#39;s Brexit negotiations, in a highly-charged case that could delay the country&#39;s EU exit.&nbsp;

For the first time ever, all 11 Supreme Court judges convened to hear a challenge by the government against a ruling that Prime Minister Theresa May must seek lawmakers&#39; approval before starting the process to leave the European Union.

The High Court ruled last month that the government did not have the executive power alone to invoke Article 50 of the EU&#39;s Lisbon Treaty, formally starting an exit talks which could take two years.

The decision enraged Brexit supporters and some newspapers who accused judges of thwarting the will of the 52 percent who voted &quot;Leave&quot; in the June 23 referendum.

The vote for Britain to become the first country to leave the 28-nation bloc sent shockwaves across the world and emboldened populists in Europe and the United States.

Supreme Court president David Neuberger said people involved in the case had received threats and abuse and stressed that the judges would rule without any political bias after criticism from Brexit backers.

A parliamentary vote on Article 50 could open the door to pro-EU lawmakers delaying or softening Britain&#39;s withdrawal from the bloc.

&#39;Threats of violence&#39;

Neuberger said the judges were &quot;aware of the strong feelings&quot; surrounding Brexit but &quot;those wider political questions are not the subject of this appeal&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;This appeal is concerned with legal issues, and, as judges, our duty is to consider those issues impartially, and to decide the case according to the law. That is what we shall do,&quot; he told the court.

He said some parties involved in the case had received threats of &quot;serious violence and unpleasant abuse&quot;, warning that there were &quot;legal powers&quot; to deal with such threats.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright, the government&#39;s chief legal advisor, outlined the government&#39;s case at the start of the four-day, live-broadcast hearing, with a judgment expected in January.

In his opening statement, he said there was a &quot;universal expectation&quot; that the government would implement the referendum result.

He argued that the government had constitutional authority over foreign affairs, including the right to withdraw from treaties, under so-called &quot;royal prerogative powers&quot;.

The royal prerogative is &quot;not an ancient relic but a contemporary necessity,&quot; he said.

If it loses, the government is expected to introduce a short bill -- reportedly comprising just three lines of text -- which it will seek to push rapidly through parliament to authorise the triggering of Article 50.

&#39;Slowing down&#39; Brexit

May, who became Conservative prime minister after the Brexit vote, has insisted a parliamentary vote on the legislation would not disrupt her plans to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017.

However, the opposition Labour Party delivered a blow to the government Saturday when it announced it would seek to amend any bill, potentially delaying the process.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the amendment would ensure that Britain retains access to the European single market and protect workers&#39; and environmental rights.

&quot;When the Article 50 debate comes up, we will put forward an amendment to it, which will be on the issues of market access and protections. We want those to be part of the negotiation,&quot; Corbyn told Sky News.

A spokesman for May&#39;s Conservative Party accused Labour of attempting to &quot;frustrate the will of the British people by slowing down the process... and trying to tie the government&#39;s hands&quot; in Brexit negotiations.

May faces a further potential complication at this week&#39;s hearing from representatives of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who will argue that Article 50 also needs to be approved by the devolved parliaments.

Such a ruling could further derail the prime minister&#39;s timetable and set up a stand-off between the nations.

Claimants in the case, led by investment fund manager Gina Miller, argue that triggering Article 50 would strip British citizens of certain rights established under European law -- which they say only parliament has the power to do.

Britain&#39;s foreign minister, Boris Johnson, voiced confidence in the government&#39;s case Sunday, telling the BBC: &quot;There is no history in any EU negotiations or any EU treaty talks of the House of Commons doing anything to fetter the discretion of the government.&quot;

However, legal expert Michael Zander, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), said the government had little chance of winning, describing the original ruling as &quot;unanimous and very strong&quot;.

&quot;In my view, the government could be looking at losing 11-0,&quot; he wrote in legal magazine Counsel.

(AFP)

All 11 Supreme Court judges convened to hear the government's challenge against a ruling that PM May must seek lawmakers approval for Brexit

Britain's Supreme Court began a historic hearing on Monday to decide whether parliament has to approve the government's Brexit negotiations, in a highly-charged case that could delay the country's EU exit. For the first time ever, all 11 Supreme Court judges convened to hear a challenge by the government against a ruling that Prime Minister Theresa May must seek lawmakers' approval before starting the process to leave the European Union. The High Court ruled last month that the government did not have the executive power alone to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, formally starting an exit talks which could take two years. The decision enraged Brexit supporters and some newspapers who accused judges of thwarting the will of the 52 percent who voted "Leave" in the June 23 referendum. The vote for Britain to become the first country to leave the 28-nation bloc sent shockwaves across the world and emboldened populists in Europe and the United States. Supreme Court president David Neuberger said people involved in the case had received threats and abuse and stressed that the judges would rule without any political bias after criticism from Brexit backers. A parliamentary vote on Article 50 could open the door to pro-EU lawmakers delaying or softening Britain's withdrawal from the bloc. 'Threats of violence' Neuberger said the judges were "aware of the strong feelings" surrounding Brexit but "those wider political questions are not the subject of this appeal". "This appeal is concerned with legal issues, and, as judges, our duty is to consider those issues impartially, and to decide the case according to the law. That is what we shall do," he told the court. He said some parties involved in the case had received threats of "serious violence and unpleasant abuse", warning that there were "legal powers" to deal with such threats. Attorney General Jeremy Wright, the government's chief legal advisor, outlined the government's case at the start of the four-day, live-broadcast hearing, with a judgment expected in January. In his opening statement, he said there was a "universal expectation" that the government would implement the referendum result. He argued that the government had constitutional authority over foreign affairs, including the right to withdraw from treaties, under so-called "royal prerogative powers". The royal prerogative is "not an ancient relic but a contemporary necessity," he said. If it loses, the government is expected to introduce a short bill -- reportedly comprising just three lines of text -- which it will seek to push rapidly through parliament to authorise the triggering of Article 50. 'Slowing down' Brexit May, who became Conservative prime minister after the Brexit vote, has insisted a parliamentary vote on the legislation would not disrupt her plans to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017. However, the opposition Labour Party delivered a blow to the government Saturday when it announced it would seek to amend any bill, potentially delaying the process. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the amendment would ensure that Britain retains access to the European single market and protect workers' and environmental rights. "When the Article 50 debate comes up, we will put forward an amendment to it, which will be on the issues of market access and protections. We want those to be part of the negotiation," Corbyn told Sky News. A spokesman for May's Conservative Party accused Labour of attempting to "frustrate the will of the British people by slowing down the process... and trying to tie the government's hands" in Brexit negotiations. May faces a further potential complication at this week's hearing from representatives of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who will argue that Article 50 also needs to be approved by the devolved parliaments. Such a ruling could further derail the prime minister's timetable and set up a stand-off between the nations. Claimants in the case, led by investment fund manager Gina Miller, argue that triggering Article 50 would strip British citizens of certain rights established under European law -- which they say only parliament has the power to do. Britain's foreign minister, Boris Johnson, voiced confidence in the government's case Sunday, telling the BBC: "There is no history in any EU negotiations or any EU treaty talks of the House of Commons doing anything to fetter the discretion of the government." However, legal expert Michael Zander, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), said the government had little chance of winning, describing the original ruling as "unanimous and very strong". "In my view, the government could be looking at losing 11-0," he wrote in legal magazine Counsel. (AFP)

UK top court begins hearing on Brexit challenge

Thyssenkrupp has personal assurances from the new management of Tata that the Indian conglomerate is still interested in merging its European steel business with that of the German group, Thyssenkrupp&#39;s chief executive said.

Tata Sons this month put in place a new management team for the $100 billion steel-to-software group, days after its board ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry and disbanded his advisory council, triggering a public spat between him and patriarch Ratan Tata.

&quot;The new management has told us personally it still sees the rationale,&quot; Heinrich Hiesinger told a news conference after Thyssenkrupp reported 2015/16 results on Thursday.

Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel had been in talks to merge their European steel units - which include assets in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands - but the negotiations were disrupted by Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union and then thrown into question by the management turmoil at Tata.

(Reuters)

Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel had been in talks to merge their European steel units but the negotiations were disrupted by Brexit

Thyssenkrupp has personal assurances from the new management of Tata that the Indian conglomerate is still interested in merging its European steel business with that of the German group, Thyssenkrupp's chief executive said. Tata Sons this month put in place a new management team for the $100 billion steel-to-software group, days after its board ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry and disbanded his advisory council, triggering a public spat between him and patriarch Ratan Tata. "The new management has told us personally it still sees the rationale," Heinrich Hiesinger told a news conference after Thyssenkrupp reported 2015/16 results on Thursday. Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel had been in talks to merge their European steel units - which include assets in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands - but the negotiations were disrupted by Britain's vote to leave the European Union and then thrown into question by the management turmoil at Tata. (Reuters)

Thyssenkrupp CEO says new Tata management still wants steel deal

The British government has no overarching plan for Brexit and may take another six months to agree&nbsp;to a negotiating strategy, according to a leaked memo on Tuesday.

Civil servants are struggling to cope with more than 500 Brexit-related projects and an extra 30,000 extra staff may be needed to handle the workload, according to the memo published by The Times, reportedly prepared for the government by a consultant.

The document, dated November 7 and titled &quot;Brexit update&quot;, says &quot;no common strategy has emerged&quot; for leaving the European Union, despite lengthy debate among senior officials.

The government of Prime Minister Theresa May denied the claims and said it did not commission the report.

&quot;This is not a government report and we don&#39;t recognise the claims made in it,&quot; a spokesman for May&#39;s office said.

&quot;We are focused on getting on with the job of delivering Brexit and making a success of it,&quot; he said.

It could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit, the memo, also seen by the BBC, suggests.

Although each government department has developed plans to cope with the departure, &quot;this falls considerably short of having a &#39;Government plan for Brexit&#39; because it has no prioritisation and no link to the overall negotiation strategy,&quot; the memo reportedly states.

It criticises May&#39;s approach, accusing her of &quot;drawing in decisions and details to settle matters herself&quot;.

May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March next year to formally start the process of leaving the EU, but she has so far given few details of her strategy.

The leaked memo also says big businesses are expected to &quot;point a gun at the government&#39;s head&quot; after the government assured carmaker Nissan that it would not lose out on investment after Britain leaves the EU.

May used a key address in the City of London late yesterday to say that Britain will seize on Brexit to become a global leader on free trade and &quot;forge new and dynamic trading agreements&quot;.

(AFP)

The document titled 'Brexit update' said it could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit

The British government has no overarching plan for Brexit and may take another six months to agree to a negotiating strategy, according to a leaked memo on Tuesday. Civil servants are struggling to cope with more than 500 Brexit-related projects and an extra 30,000 extra staff may be needed to handle the workload, according to the memo published by The Times, reportedly prepared for the government by a consultant. The document, dated November 7 and titled "Brexit update", says "no common strategy has emerged" for leaving the European Union, despite lengthy debate among senior officials. The government of Prime Minister Theresa May denied the claims and said it did not commission the report. "This is not a government report and we don't recognise the claims made in it," a spokesman for May's office said. "We are focused on getting on with the job of delivering Brexit and making a success of it," he said. It could take another six months for the British government to agree on its priorities for Brexit, the memo, also seen by the BBC, suggests. Although each government department has developed plans to cope with the departure, "this falls considerably short of having a 'Government plan for Brexit' because it has no prioritisation and no link to the overall negotiation strategy," the memo reportedly states. It criticises May's approach, accusing her of "drawing in decisions and details to settle matters herself". May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March next year to formally start the process of leaving the EU, but she has so far given few details of her strategy. The leaked memo also says big businesses are expected to "point a gun at the government's head" after the government assured carmaker Nissan that it would not lose out on investment after Britain leaves the EU. May used a key address in the City of London late yesterday to say that Britain will seize on Brexit to become a global leader on free trade and "forge new and dynamic trading agreements". (AFP)

Britain has no Brexit plan, leaked memo claims

The Greek economy emerged from recession for the first time since 2014, managing two straight quarters of GDP growth, figures released Monday showed.

Greece&#39;s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5 per cent in the three months to September from the previous quarter, and by 1.5 per cent from the third quarter of 2015, statistics bureau Elstat said.

It had already nudged 0.2 per cent higher in the second quarter from the first. Two consecutive quarters of growth officially mark the end of a recession.

The Greek government expects the Greek economy to contract by 0.3 per cent in the full-year 2016, before returning to growth next year when it predicts GDP to surge by 2.7 per cent.

On Thursday it said the growth dynamic was now in better shape than at any point since the financial crisis.

&quot;The Greek economy has not known a comparable growth rhythm since the first quarter of 2008,&quot; government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said.

He said Greece was counting on debt relief to support growth, as well as on Athens gaining access to the European Central Bank&#39;s quantitative easing programme which involves purchases of sovereign bonds.

Apart from a brief respite in 2014, the Greek economy has been steadily contracting since 2008 as the country&#39;s creditors as well as the European Union and the IMF imposed harsh austerity measures accompanying successive bailouts.

Falling salaries and pensions combined with tax hikes have had a devastating impact on demand, particularly consumer spending.

In May, Greece&#39;s eurozone partners and the IMF agreed in principle to debt relief as well as series of short-term measures to be finalised in December.

They have not, however, been able to agree on the pace or the scope of long-term debt restructuring. European Union heavyweight Germany has pushed back any such deal to end-2018.

(AFP)

Greece's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5 per cent in the three months to September from the previous quarter

The Greek economy emerged from recession for the first time since 2014, managing two straight quarters of GDP growth, figures released Monday showed. Greece's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.5 per cent in the three months to September from the previous quarter, and by 1.5 per cent from the third quarter of 2015, statistics bureau Elstat said. It had already nudged 0.2 per cent higher in the second quarter from the first. Two consecutive quarters of growth officially mark the end of a recession. The Greek government expects the Greek economy to contract by 0.3 per cent in the full-year 2016, before returning to growth next year when it predicts GDP to surge by 2.7 per cent. On Thursday it said the growth dynamic was now in better shape than at any point since the financial crisis. "The Greek economy has not known a comparable growth rhythm since the first quarter of 2008," government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said. He said Greece was counting on debt relief to support growth, as well as on Athens gaining access to the European Central Bank's quantitative easing programme which involves purchases of sovereign bonds. Apart from a brief respite in 2014, the Greek economy has been steadily contracting since 2008 as the country's creditors as well as the European Union and the IMF imposed harsh austerity measures accompanying successive bailouts. Falling salaries and pensions combined with tax hikes have had a devastating impact on demand, particularly consumer spending. In May, Greece's eurozone partners and the IMF agreed in principle to debt relief as well as series of short-term measures to be finalised in December. They have not, however, been able to agree on the pace or the scope of long-term debt restructuring. European Union heavyweight Germany has pushed back any such deal to end-2018. (AFP)

Greece out of recession for first time in two years

The European Union (EU) on Sunday welcomed India&#39;s decision to withdraw high-value banknotes in a bid to root out black money.

Ridding the system of &#39;&#39;black component&quot; and bringing transparency will strengthen Indian economy and aid growth, the EU said.

Vice-president of European Commission Jyrki Katainen complimented the Indian government for its resolve to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) along with other reform measures, PTI reported.

Katainen, who is on a visit to India over the&nbsp;EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), said that the fight against tax dodgers will boost India&#39;s financial system.

&quot;All the measures which will reduce black economy are always good for people and the financial system,&quot; he told PTI following the Indian government&#39;s decision to withdraw Rs 500 and 1,000 notes.

He called the GST a &quot;very ambitious&quot; and &quot;very necessary&quot; move to reform the tax structure in India and to boost investor&nbsp;confidence.

Investors from European countries are bringing &quot;white clean money&quot; to India he said.

The two-way commerce in goods between India and the EU was USD 98.5 billion in 2014-15, PTI reported. If the BTIA or the free trade agreement was finalised, European investments into India are set to increase manifold, Katainen said.

India&#39;s existing trade and investment agreement with The Netherlands will come to an end in two weeks and similar pacts with several other EU countries will expire in coming months making it difficult for the European corporates to make fresh investment in India, he stressed.

As per European Union law, no member country now can go for bilateral trade and investment pact with India as the grouping is in negotiations for an EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), the PTI report stated.

India&#39;s trade and investment pact with 23 countries is likely to expire by the end of next year.

Launched in June 2007, negotiations over the proposed agreement have seen many hurdles but the EU has now shown an inclination to restart talks.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

EU's vice-president said fight against tax dodgers and those having ill-gotten wealth will pay dividends and strengthen the financial system

The European Union (EU) on Sunday welcomed India's decision to withdraw high-value banknotes in a bid to root out black money. Ridding the system of ''black component" and bringing transparency will strengthen Indian economy and aid growth, the EU said. Vice-president of European Commission Jyrki Katainen complimented the Indian government for its resolve to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) along with other reform measures, PTI reported. Katainen, who is on a visit to India over the EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), said that the fight against tax dodgers will boost India's financial system. "All the measures which will reduce black economy are always good for people and the financial system," he told PTI following the Indian government's decision to withdraw Rs 500 and 1,000 notes. He called the GST a "very ambitious" and "very necessary" move to reform the tax structure in India and to boost investor confidence. Investors from European countries are bringing "white clean money" to India he said. The two-way commerce in goods between India and the EU was USD 98.5 billion in 2014-15, PTI reported. If the BTIA or the free trade agreement was finalised, European investments into India are set to increase manifold, Katainen said. India's existing trade and investment agreement with The Netherlands will come to an end in two weeks and similar pacts with several other EU countries will expire in coming months making it difficult for the European corporates to make fresh investment in India, he stressed. As per European Union law, no member country now can go for bilateral trade and investment pact with India as the grouping is in negotiations for an EU-India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), the PTI report stated. India's trade and investment pact with 23 countries is likely to expire by the end of next year. Launched in June 2007, negotiations over the proposed agreement have seen many hurdles but the EU has now shown an inclination to restart talks. (WION with inputs from PTI)

India's crackdown on black money will help financial system: EU

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