Chinese goods fraud through United Kingdom costs European Union some $2.1 billion

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday both Britain and the European Union were ready to get on with divorce talks, but gave little away on when she will trigger the formal Brexit procedure.

The comments, at a joint press conference with newly re-elected EU Council President Donald Tusk, came after an informal meeting of the other 27 leaders to prepare for the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.

The government sources told the newspaper the process could start Tuesday or Wednesday next week if the legislation is voted for unamended.

It would meet immediately after the United Kingdom triggered Article 50 to vote on its “red lines” for negotiations, such as the requirement for single market members to respect the “four freedoms” of movement of people, goods, services and capital.

Guy Verhofstadt told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, “All British citizens today have also European Union citizenship”.

As EU leaders prepared for the start of negotiations on Britain’s withdrawal, Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he hoped Britain would rejoin the EU in the future.

The Brexit Bill was passed without amendment by the elected House of Commons. “The prime minister has made clear along that the United Kingdom is seeking the right deal for financial services as Britain leaves the European Union and she made that point to the audience”.

The intervention by Mr Juncker came during the second day of an EU summit, which saw the other 27 European leaders meet to discuss the future of the union after the United Kingdom leaves.

“The next meeting is to be on the 6th of April, provided that the [British] Prime Minister [Theresa May] moves Article 50, I think by the 15th of March”, he said.

Mr Corbyn said: “We will keep on with this”.

Bill or “Brexit Bill” is legislation that is now being considered by the U.K. Parliament to authorise the British government to invoke Article 50 – notification of the country’s exit from the European Union (EU). “Leaders will then meet, probably in April, to finalise these”.

Customs duties go directly into the EU budget, so the European Commission will now decided whether to seek recompense from the United Kingdom government.