United Kingdom invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union

Much of the future border arrangements between Northern Ireland and Ireland can be solved before Brexit talks enter the next phase, Ireland's foreign minister said, urging Britain to be realistic in negotiating terms to leave the European Union.

Britain might want to stay in a customs union with the European Union for a while to avoid chaos on the border after the leave and to maintain the greatest possible freedom of trade in goods, the Associated Press and Reuters have said.

After weeks of feuding, two key figures in Britain's cabinet came together to say any post-Brexit transition would not be a "back door" to continued European Union membership.

Britain is ready to pay the EU up to EUR 40 billion in Brexit if Brussels agrees to discuss the issue of a trade agreement under the deal for a future partnership.

A year to the day after Britain voted to quit the European Union, the divorce proceedings are only just starting and European leaders are hoping that the decree absolute never comes through.

On June 23 last year, Britons voted by the narrow majority of 52-48 to end the unhappy cross-Channel marriage of four decades.

Theresa May made a “fair and serious offer” to European Union leaders over the contentious issue of the future rights of EU citizens, offering those who arrive lawfully before Brexit the chance to build up the same rights to work, healthcare and benefits as UK citizens.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says some British people have “illusions” about discussing the UK’s future ties with the EU at the same time as nailing down the UK’s Brexit terms.

The future relationship can only be discussed once the exit issues – such as UK payments to the EU budget – are resolved, she told German MPs.

The Council of Ministers on Wednesday approved Bulgaria's positions for the April 27 EU General Affairs Council and the April 29 European Council in an EU27 format (without the UK). The two forums are to adopt the guidelines for the Brexit talks.

The European Union's "real political" negotiations on Britain's exit from the bloc will start after the snap British election in June, an EU spokesman said Wednesday, AFP reported.

"The real political negotiations on article 50 with the UK will start after the elections foreseen for the 8th of June," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a press conference.