The Nation Newspaper

Tag: European Union

  • AfCFTA: MAN urges FG to examine trade conditions

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria ( MAN ), has urged the Federal Government to renegotiate trade conditions that will impede economic growth in its review of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area ( AfCFTA ) Agreement.

    The MAN President, Dr Frank Jacob, gave the advice in an interview with the News men on Tuesday in Lagos.

    According to him, MAN is apprehensive that the Rules of Origin in the AfCFTA cannot be adequately enforced to guard against influx of European Union ( EU ) goods into the Nigerian market.

    The Rules of origin are used to determine the country of origin of a product for purposes of international trade.

    The News men reports that the AfCFTA is part of Africa’s plan to promote Intra and Inter-regional trade, economic cooperation and partnership on the continent by 2063.

    AfCFTA seeks to make Africa the largest free trade area, improve its economies and strengthen its position in global trade.

    “We are afraid that the Rules of Origin cannot be adequately enforced because goods from the EU can find their way into one of the African countries that have bilateral agreement with the EU.

    “When the goods get into the African country, they can repackage them, change the label from Made in Europe to that of the African country.

    “That same goods will surely find its way to Nigeria which is the main target market for the EU,” Jacob said.

    Jacob also noted that the market access of the agreement was a concern to manufacturers, as it leaves low protection to locally produced goods.

    “The agreement says that 90 per cent of the tariff plan would be liberalised, leaving only 10 per cent to protect manufacturers, and that 10 per cent is too low.

    “That means the rest of the 90 per cent is open, duty free, people can import.

    Read Also:  FEC okays agreement on African Free Trade in Kigali

    “What we are saying is that the 10 per cent is too small, even at the current Common External Tariff ( CET ) regime, we enjoy more than 10 per cent.

    “How can they now expect us to accept only 10 per cent as the only protected tariff line. That is an area that is of great concern to us,” Jacob said.

    He noted that the AfCFTA would impede the growth of the manufacturing sector, lead to dearth of many businesses, increase the country’s unemployment rate, and incapacitate local technological advancement.

    The MAN boss commended President Muhammadu Buhari for canceling his scheduled trip to Kigali, Rwanda, to sign the framework agreement for establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area.

    Buhari on March 18, canceled his scheduled visit to Rwanda to attend an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the African Union on March 21.

    The President was to sign the framework agreement for establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area during the Summit that would host leaders of African countries.

    According to a statement from the Presidency, the trip was canceled to allow for more consultations with stakeholders in Nigeria over the trade agreement.

    It would be recalled that the Nigerian Labour Congress ( NLC ) and the Organised Private Sector ( OPS ) had kicked against AfCFTA.

    NAN

  • EU pledges additional 42.5m euros to Palestinian cause

    EU pledges additional 42.5m euros to Palestinian cause

    The European Union has agreed to put an extra 42.5 million euros (52.9 million dollars) towards building a “democratic and accountable” Palestinian state, foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

    Mogherini said on WEdnesday that the money will go towards activities in East Jerusalem while also helping to build a Palestinian state through policy reforms, debt reduction, support for businesses and Palestinian civil society as well as access to water and energy.

    The announcement came ahead of talks in Brussels bringing together top Israeli, Palestinian, U.S. and Arab politicians and officials for the first time since a controversial U.S. decision to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

    “Everybody must recognise that the U.S. is essential for any process to realistically have a chance to succeed,” Mogherini said, while warning Washington: “alone it will be more difficult to achieve anything.”

    The news reports that on Jan. 17, the Trump administration cut tens of millions of dollars in money for Palestinian,
    refugees, demanding that the UN agency responsible for the programmes undertake a “fundamental re-examination.”

    In a letter, the State Department notified the UN Relief and Works Agency ( UNRWA ) that the U.S. is withholding 65 million dollars of a planned 125 million dollars funding installment.

    The letter also makes clear that additional U.S. donations will be contingent on major changes by UNRWA, which has been heavily criticised by Israel.

    The State Department said it was releasing the rest of the installment, 60 million dollars, to prevent the agency from running out of cash by the end of the month and closing down.

    The U.S. is UNWRA’s largest donor, supplying nearly 30 per cent of its budget.

    The agency focuses on providing health care, education and social services to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

    NAN

  • FACAN seeks task force on export products

    To prevent the rejection of Nigeria’s agricultural and processed food exports,  the government should up an inspectorate unit in key markets.

    This is the advice of Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association Nigeria (FACAN) President, Dr. Victor Iyama.

    The European Union (EU) ban on agric exports, such as beans, continues, even as it is mandatory for exports of perishable items to the EU to be certified under the vigilance of plant protection inspectors.

    In the last three years, export of Nigerian agro commodities has faced  maximum Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) hurdles in Europe and the United States’ markets.

    Speaking with The Nation, Iyama said the association was ready to set up a compliance task force that would ensure that farmers comply with the specific concerns raised by European and United States’importers on food safety that affect health and safety, including excessive chemicals, pesticides, synthetic colour and microbes.

    If given the mandate to set up the inspectorate taskforce, Iyama stressed that quality and safety would be  top priorities and that the association would ensure that farm gate produce  meet the standards.

    The FACAN chief added that the problem of agro commodities not meeting global standards was of concern and that farmers should take the issue serious.

    He added that there the need to monitor the supply chain to avoid rejectable products infiltering the system.

    According to Iyama,  there is a plan to support agro-industries to venture into the export market. He said the association’s goal was to drive transformation through the commodity value chains and  to achieve self-sufficiency in key commodities, such as rice, cocoa, palm oil, horticulture and cashew.

    The strategy, he  explained,  was  to ensure that farmers know the markets for products, activities required along the supply chain, and the standard and volume of products.

    According to Iyama, import refusals by the US and Europe paint a grim picture of Nigerian agro and food products.

  • Another 257 Nigerians arrive from Libya

    Another 257 Nigerians arrive from Libya

    A few hours after 144 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya, another aircraft carrying 257 of their compatriots on Wednesday landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The spokesperson for the Lagos Airport Police Command, Mr Joseph Alabi, confirmed this in an interview in Lagos.

    Alabi said the returnees arrived aboard a Libyan Airlines aircraft at the Cargo Wing of the airport at about 1.30 a.m.

    He said they were assisted back to Nigeria by the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) and the European Union ( EU ) after being stranded in the volatile North African country enroute Europe.

    Alabi said “We received another batch of Nigerians early this morning from Libya.

    “They comprised of 65 adult females, 179 adult males, seven children and six infants.”

    He also confirmed that four of the returnees had medical cases and were promptly taken away on an ambulance for treatment.

    According to him, the returnees were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

    Report says another set of 144 Nigerians had arrived on Tuesday at about 6.45 p.m. aboard a chartered Buraq Airlines aircraft with registration number 5A-DMG.

    They were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by the Wife of the President, Haija Aisha Buhari, represented by the Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Bolanle Ambode.

    Also on ground to receive them was the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa and officials of other government agencies.

    Report also says the Federal Government said it has a record of 2,778 Nigerian migrants registered in “accessible” detention camps in Libya, ready for repatriation.

    The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement signed by the Spokesperson, Mr. Tiwatope Elias-Fatile on Tuesday, said the country’s embassy in Libya had been visiting detention camps to identify Nigerians for registration.

    The ministry stated that those registered were issued Emergency Travel Certificates.

    Read also: More Nigerians return from Libya

    The ministry also explained that the embassy, in collaboration with the IOM, repatriates 250 migrants weekly and had returned 3,000 of them so far.

    “From the 2,778 registered Nigerians who are still in detention camps, another set of 250 Nigerian migrants will be arriving on Tuesday December 5 via the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, at 7.00pm, to be received by NEMA officials.

    “The Embassy, in collaboration with the IOM, repatriates 250 Nigerian migrants by flight to Lagos weekly – each flight can accommodate only 250 passengers.

    “The repatriation is a continuous exercise and the Embassy routinely issues the requisite travel documents to the migrants.

    “The Embassy will continue to engage the legitimate government in Libya and other stakeholders in addressing the plight of Nigerian migrants in that country.”

    The ministry further said the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, had invited the Nigerian Embassy’s Head of Mission, Mr. Iliya Fachano, to Abuja for consultations.

    “He is in Abuja already and during the period of the consultations, arrangements have been made for him to address press conferences on the issue.

    NAN

  • Another 257 Nigerians return from Libya

    Another 257 Nigerians return from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) on Tuesday received another 257 Nigerian voluntary returnees flown back from Libya.

    The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, in a chartered Airbus A330-200 flight with Registration number 5A- LAT at 9.15pm.

    They had been stranded in the course of their failed attempt to cross over to Europe through the volatile North African country.

    The returnees were assisted back to Nigeria by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) while the Italian Government provided the aircraft.

    They were handed over to the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA Southwest, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, who received them on behalf of Federal Government.

    The female among the returnees comprised 241 adults, two children and five infants while the male comprised four adults, four teenage boys and one infant.

    Yakubu enjoined the returnees to embrace the change mantra of the federal government.

    He urged them to remain positive and focused on contributing their quota to national development, instead of seeking greener pastures where it doesn’t exist.

    Yakubu noted that they would not be treated as second class citizens in their own country, unlike what they face abroad after migrating illegally.

    He disclosed that the European Union was providing the reintegration assistance, urging them to make use of the initiative and better their lives.

    Other agencies present when Yakubu received the returnees were the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) and the Police.

    NAN

  • Ekiti communities benefit from EU water, sanitation programme

    Ekiti communities benefit from EU water, sanitation programme

    The European Union (EU) and Ekiti State government are collaborating to provide water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for people at the grassroots in a bid to reduce mortality rates that are caused by lack of such facilities. This dominated discussion at an EU-supported Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme Phase III (WSSSRP III). ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

    The  Ekiti State Ministry of Public Utilities, in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has organised an Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Water Resources Sector, Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

    The programme was aimed at  domesticating the National Framework on Water Resources Monitoring and Evaluation.  The state government set up the Inter-Ministerial Working Group to identify areas of collaboration with  the EU and the UNICEF, particularly in the area of water supply and sanitation.

    The support, stakeholders maintain, has become necessary because access to potable water is low, particularly at the rural areas despite the measures adopted in the past to ameliorate the situation.

    It should be noted that poor sanitation and hygiene situations are the main causes of diarrhoea,  malaria and under-five mortality.

    The challenge facing Ekiti State’s water and sanitation sectors is multifaceted and hinge on defining the roles of stakeholders, building their skills and availability of financial resources to maintain long-term infrastructure.

    This is demonstrated in inadequate sector policy, institutional framework and weak institutions that are poorly funded and unable to deliver on their mandates.

    The consequence of these problems is the inability of institutions related to water resources sector to deliver sustainable water and sanitation services to the people.

    Therefore, the EU-supported Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme Phase III (WSSSRPIII) was designed to address the priorities of the European Development Fund Country Support under Focal Sector 2 that promote state and local governance platforms.

    The overall objective was to support the effort of local and state governments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the sectors.

    The WSSSRP III, which is being implemented in three states of the federation, has taken off in Ekiti State in two local government areas of Gbonyin and Ekiti West.

    Speaking at the workshop, EU-WSSSRP III Institutional and Policy Expert (IPE), Mr. Alaba Ogunsanjo, said the programme which runs from 2013 to 2018 focuses on improving water governance (water policies, laws and institutional framework) and access to safe water and sanitation through improved service delivery.

    Ogunsanjo further explained that the programme is being funded by the EU in a cost-sharing arrangement with the state and local government areas.

    He also revealed that the EU has been supporting the state in the implementation of soft components of the project which include baseline survey in small towns  in Gbonyin and Ekiti West local government areas.

    Others, according to him, are series of capacity building activities for state and local government workers, support in the implementation of water and sanitation policy and law and support for the development of monitoring and evaluation systems, among others.

    He said: “The EU has supported Ekiti State in the identification, prioritisation and selection of water schemes for rehabilitation and upgrading and these include Egbe Dam, Ikogosi Water Scheme and Ido-Ile Water Scheme.

    “The EU has also trained state and local government officials, civil society organisations and the media on community management in water supply, sanitation and hygiene in Gbonyin and Ekiti West local government areas on the best practices in the sector.

    “The move will ensure accessibility, affordability, accountability and sustainability in small towns in the two focal local government areas.

    “The EU, through the Ministry of Public Utilities, facilitated community management capacity building for water consumers’ associations in small towns in Gbonyin and Ekiti West local government areas.

    “The development was intended to ensure community participation, ownership and sustainability of projects and programmes in the water supply, sanitation and hygiene sectors of the economy.”

    In his remarks, Commissioner for Public Utilities, Chief Tunde Ogunleye, expressed concern over what he called “inadequate and conflicting data for water resources sector at state and local government levels.

    He said this has become a source of concern despite efforts made to strengthen planning and monitoring systems by government and development partners.

    The commissioner explained that the Ayo Fayose-led administration recognised the importance of water resources sector and is therefore focusing on policies and programmes that would ensure its availability.

    Ogunleye revealed that Ekiti already has a water supply policy and law that have been approved while monitoring and evaluation framework for water resources would soon be approved by the government.

    The step, he noted, would make Ekiti State one of the first states in Nigeria to domesticate the framework.

    The commissioner commended the EU, UNICEF, World Bank, WaterAid and other donor agencies for their intervention and commitment to the realisation of monitoring and evaluation framework.

    Ogunleye added: “The state government has also shown her commitment through the payment of N206 million which is part of the 30 per cent state’s and LGAs’ counterpart contributions for the WSSSRP III project.”

    The state’s Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Sir Olu Ogunrotimi, pleaded with the state government to fulfil its financial obligations towards the realisation of the WSSSRP III.

    Ogunrotimi commended the efforts of the donor agencies in providing water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to boost public health, reduce mortality rates and make life better for the populace.

  • Akwa Ibom community gets pipe-borne water 400 years after

    Akwa Ibom community gets pipe-borne water 400 years after

    Unhealthy sources of water can lead to avoidable diseases, such as diarrhea and pneumonia. The European Union (EU), United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and Akwa Ibom government have intervened in Ikot Nkpene community to check open defecation and boost water and sanitation, reports OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA.

    Mrs Amedi Udofa could not hide her happiness that day. The source of her joy is Ikot Nkpene, a village in Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, which has existed for no less than 400 years but lacked pipe-borne water. The stream where the community used to fetch water for household and other uses was also the site for open defecation, laundry and public bathing.

    “We learnt through UNICEF that that is the cause of the many outbreaks of those water borne diseases. But since the provision of the pipe-borne water we hardly record cases again,” said Mrs Udofa.

    Now, the European Union (EU), United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and Akwa Ibom government have changed the community’s story.

    Mrs Udofa recalled that it was only one man that had a private pipe-borne water in the community. It was not enough for the village that has 140 households with a total population of more than 1, 474 people, according to the household survey conducted by the Water Sanitisation Hygiene (WASH) Committee.

    She said: “Our children are enjoying the new development because they do not go to the stream again to fetch water. They do not miss school again or go late to same due to the fact that they go to streams to fetch water for household use- household drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning purposes and meeting the demand for other household chores. Not to mention for production. Ikot Nkpene is a farming community and one of the farm produce is palm fruit. Before the provision of the water, we have been suffering, because women and children have to go to the stream to fetch water to produce the palm oil, but now all of us can easily access the water here through the pipe borne water. Before the water came in there had been series of diarrhoea but now same has reduced.”

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in a report said women and girls spend over 40 billon hours in sub-Saharan Africa fetching water. This is equal to a year of labour for the workforce of France.

    A principal official of Nsit Atai WASH Unit, Mr. Terlumun Ashile, put it in perspective: “At the household level, women and girls are most often the users, providers and managers of water and guardians of household hygiene. Whether fetching, carrying from streams or a water system works or not they are the ones who are mostly affected. Similarly, without access to sanitary facilities in the household, women become inconvenienced during day light, using only the night for cover to relieve themselves. This exposes them to the risk of physical attack, violence and snake/scorpion bites.”

    Mrs Udofa said the patronage of the Comprehensive Health Centre for the treatment of water-borne diseases has reduced significantly.

    “The centre used to function as a hospital but it does not take emergency services. A community like ours has children and expectant women and even other adults that required urgent medical care but it only takes planned healthcare such as immunisation. The facilities required are lacking and the centre itself is in a deplorable situation. The roofs are leaking the quatres are not habitable. The people in the community are not going there again. The healthcare personnel like the doctors and nurses said they’ve written to government. In case of emergency we go to Utumba which is about 10 to 20 kilometres that is about One hour drive. There is no Midwife service scheme here but our women still deliver. But now that we have clean water, we do not experience many cases of water related diseases again,” she said.

    A teacher at the Ikot Nkpene Primary School said the provision of the water has impacted positively on the school: “It has impacted on different dimension- the learning, health, childhood and community dimensions.”

    She added: “We have recorded a reduction of occurrence of diarrhea related morbidity among children and absenteeism from school due to sickness. Our records show that school enrolment has significantly increased due to a friendlier school environment.

    “The pupils are happy to use the modern toilet facilities and hand washing stations. They do not entertain the fear of reptiles lurking inside the pit latrines again as the alternatives are better.”

    She is happy that the pupils have been given proper orientation on the need and how to practise hand washing with soap. This has had ripple effects on the community as the entire community is motivated to go for hand washing at household level.

    Ikot Nkpene Primary School has functional toilets with separate provision for boys and girls.

    The Village Head of Ikot Nkpene, Samuel Udoh, said his community has been certified Open defaecation free (ODF) and that has improved the health of the people in the community.

    “We have a cleaner environment and we have been able to break the cycle of faecal-oral route of disease transmission. We are doing everything to retain that certification. UNICEF and people from the estate government used to send officers here periodically to see if we are still maintaining the status. This gives us the moral pressure on the community to maintain our ODF status,” stated Uwemedimo.

    The Deputy Head, Uwemedimo David Udofa flesh-up on this, that Ikot Nkpene emerged 16th centuries ago and had always relied on rivers and streams but because of the importance the people in the community attached to sanitation and hygiene when the idea of WASH was first brought to the community notice by UNICEF/EU about three years ago, the community embraced same.

    Udofa said the community swung into action with the establishment of WASH committee.

    “Since the installation of these facilities- a collection head tank and five distribution channels in form of pipes our health status has improved as evidenced in the reduction of water related illnesses. We salute EU/UNICEF and the AKRUWASAN, Nsit Atai WASH Unit for your labour of love at a time we don’t really have any son or daughter in a sensitive post in the government.”

    Mrs. Udofa is, however, worried about the sustainability of the project because of what she described as the use of inferior materials, which make the taps to break, and the fact that the contractor laid the pipes on top of the soil, which is not deep enough to cover the bigger pipes.

  • Britain will not pay ‘penny more’ to leave EU: Boris Johnson

    Britain will not pay ‘penny more’ to leave EU: Boris Johnson

    Britain will pay “not a penny more, not a penny less” than what the government thinks its legal obligations are to the European Union as the country leaves the bloc, foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.

    Talking to BBC Radio Four, Johnson said his comment that the EU could “go whistle” on its demands for payment was in response to being asked whether Britain would pay “100 billion euros or pounds”, and not a suggestion that the government would not pay.

    A financial settlement is set to be one of the most difficult issues to resolve in negotiations to unravel more than 40 years of union.

    The EU has said it is one of three areas the two sides must make progress on before starting talks on a future relationship, including trading arrangements.

    Johnson said: “some of the sums that I’ve seen seem to be very high.

    Of course, we will meet our obligations.

    “We should pay not a penny more, not a penny less of what we think our legal obligations amount to.”

  • UNICEF partners media on improved access to water, sanitation

    UNICEF partners media on improved access to water, sanitation

    The United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) on Thursday called for collaboration between media and government to ensure improved access to water and sanitation by the populace.

    Mr Geoffrey Njoku, UNICEF Chief Communication Officer, Abuja Office, made the call at a media dialogue on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Uyo.

    The forum was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Child Rights Information Bureau of Akwa Ibom state’s Ministry of Information and Culture.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WASH is a European Union-funded project implemented by UNICEF in five states in the Niger Delta.

    The states are Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo.

    Njoku, who identified water as “life and key to child survival’’, described the media as agents of change.

    He said that that through partnership and effective reportage on WASH, the media would be able to hold government accountable to its electioneering promises.

    These, according to him, include welfare of the populace with regard to access to potable water and toilet facilities; these are part of the rights of the populace.

    Njoku said that it was the responsibility of government to provide good water supply, among other amenities, for its populace.

    He said that the dialogue was organised to chart a course for improved water situation, “understand link between water and child survival, create visibility for water situation and interventions in the Niger Delta and the country’’.

    According to him, it is also aimed at understanding UNICEF and EU roles and efforts in WASH in Nigeria.

    The UNICEF officer urged the media to ensure effective reportage of challenges associated with poor access to water and sanitation, adding that such reports would influence government at all levels to expedite actions in that direction.

    Mrs Martha Hokonya, UNICEF WASH Specialist in Rivers, identified lack of access to WASH as contributing to more than half of global diarrhoea cases, being the second leading causes of under-five morbidity and mortality.

    Hokonya said that access to WASH “improves health status, productivity, promotes quality family time and afford women more time for relaxation and cater for their children’’.

    According to her, WASH or access to water promotes good hygiene and reduces huddles in family with regard to timeliness in household core.

    “It also promotes good hygiene for the home and also for women in menstrual hygiene management, reduces poverty and also empowers communities to depend on themselves.

    “It empowers communities to depend on themselves and as well bring communities together, reducing conflict and agitation.

    “It improves or generates productivity for government, because if an outbreak erupts, it means government will channel a lot of resources toward health centres to combat it.

    “But, with WASH, such money will be used judiciously for national development,” Hokonya said.

  • Britain deports EU citizens in ‘error’

    Britain deports EU citizens in ‘error’

    Britain on Wednesday said it had sent dozens of letters telling European Union nationals to leave the country in error, an embarrassing mistake as the issue of the rights of such citizens in the UK is being negotiated.

    Britain’s interior ministry said it was investigating after about 100 of the letters were sent to citizens from other European Union countries, saying they would be removed under immigration law.

    “A limited number of letters were issued in error and we have been urgently looking into why this happened. We are contacting everyone who received this letter to clarify that they can disregard it,” a spokeswoman for the Britain’s Home Office said in a statement.

    “We are absolutely clear that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK remain unchanged.”

    Eva Johanna Holmberg, a Finnish academic who is married to a Briton, told The Independent newspaper that she “couldn’t believe what she was seeing” when she received the letter.

    While Britain has promised a generous deal for EU citizens following Brexit, there is not yet agreement over how rights will be protected.

    The rights of EU citizens in Britain is one of three issues the bloc wants to settle before it begins discussing the future relationship between Britain and the EU.

    The EU says more progress on those core issues needs to be made before talks move on.