MoS Murphy in Luxembourg for General Affairs Council to discuss EU's draft negotiating guidlines

Minister of State for European Affairs, Dara Murphy TD, is today attending the General Affairs Council (Art. 50) in Luxembourg. 
 
This is the first meeting of the General Affairs Council in its “Article 50” format, which enables the 27 remaining EU Member States to discuss the EU’s position for the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal. 
 
Speaking in Luxembourg ahead of the meeting, the Minister said:
 
“I look forward to good discussions with my EU counterparts today on the EU’s draft negotiating guidelines.
 
"We are approaching an important milestone. Some ten months after the referendum in the UK, the formal negotiations are now set to get underway in the coming weeks after the general election in the UK.
 
"I have been encouraged by the constructive discussions we have had to date and I am confident that we will arrive at a strong and unified EU approach to the forthcoming negotiations with the UK.”
 
Following the discussions at the General Affairs Discussions, the draft EU guidelines will be referred the European Council for adoption by the 27 EU Heads of State and Government on Saturday 29 April.

 ENDS