Not much headway has been made since they started in June 2017. One bone of contention is the sum the UK will have to pay to leave the club in early 2019.
This March, the EU made an initial request for €60 up to €100 billion. In September, British Prime Minister Theresa May suggested €20 billion might have to suffice. However, the government in Westminster has now upped its offer to €40 up to €55 billion.
This was apparently given a “broad welcome” in Brussels, according to the BBC.
Downing Street is however still jittery and tried to downplay the report. The UK needs to pay its way out of the EU, partly because the EU financial budget is set out for seven years in advance and the British government will need to stick to its legally binding promised payments.
The current EU budget runs from 2014 to 2021.