EU citizen's rights in the UK guaranteed

A last minute deal has been struck between Theresa May's UK government and the EU over the first phase of Brexit talks. Both sides in this deal are calling it a compromise, saying it was a result of a lot of give and take. The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it had been difficult for both sides. Further talks on post Brexit trade can now take place.

Main agreements
EU citizens living in the UK and vice versa will have their rights to live, work and study protected and a guarantee that there will be "no hard border" between Northern Ireland and the Republic, maintaining the "constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom". In addition it would be a financial settlement which is "fair to the British taxpayer".

With regard to EU citizens' rights, according to the BBC, Mrs May said the agreement would guarantee the rights of three million EU citizens in the UK.

Their rights would be "enshrined in UK law and enforced by British courts".

The rights of UK citizens living in the EU will also remain the same and the administration procedure for those concerned will be "cheap and simple", Mr Juncker added.

The UK, which is due to leave the EU in March 2019, has been keen to open talks on a new free trade deal as soon as possible.

The EU would only agree to discuss this when it judged that enough progress has been made on the "separation issues" - the "divorce bill", expat citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland border - that have been the subject of negotiations so far. There has been much pressure to try to settle the Northern Ireland border issue before EU leaders meet next week.

Ireland/Northern Ireland
The report also states that ... "The UK will maintain full alignment with those rules of the Internal Market and the Customs Union which, now or in the future, support North-South cooperation, the all-island economy and the protection of the 1998 Agreement."