THE UK will be forced to abide by European Union rules even after it has left the trade block in 2019, according to negotiation papers.
The Brussels bloc are holding discussions as to how any Brexit transition period would work once the UK leaves the international organisation after April 2019.
One paper indicates that the UK would have to abide by all new EU laws during the transition phase and would not be allowed a say in the making of these rules.
The plans outlined by the bloc also state that Britain must remain inside the single market during any transition period and consequently continue to let thousands of EU citizens have free movement in the UK.
Earlier this year the Office of National Statistics revealed a record number of EU migrants are travelling to the UK.
Total net immigration remains above 300,000, more than three times above the government target to reduce immigration to the tens of thousands.
One EU official said that the short-term deal would prove that Britain was wrong for voting for Brexit.
They said: “The EU view on the transition period and the future will in a way be a moment of truth, exposing all the lies of those who campaigned for Brexit saying that Britain will be able to have the cake and eat it.”
The issues of how Britain and the EU can work together with programmes such as agriculture and fisheries schemes, the nuclear agreement Euroatom and defence arrangements are also discussed in the papers.
The remaining member states are currently refusing to involve Britain in the discussions about any future trade agreement claiming that Britain has failed to make enough progress on other aspects of the Brexit negotiations.
The UK and Brussels have agreed that the issues of the rights of EU citizens in the UK and Britons on the continent, the future of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and the so-called ‘divorce bill’ must be settled before trade talks can begin.
However, they have agreed enough progress has been made in these areas that the EU can start preparing its position on future trade.
Following the conclusion of October’s negotiations with the EU’s Michel Barnier, the Brexit Secretary David Davis, said that he believed enough progress had been made for trade talks to begin.
Following the conclusion of October’s negotiations with the EU’s Michel Barnier, the Brexit Secretary David Davis said that he believed enough progress had been made for trade talks to begin.
He said: “I hope the member states will recognise the progress we’ve made and take a step forward in the spirit of the PM’s Florence speech. That’s how we move forward towards a deal that works for both the EU and the UK.”
Mr Davis will return to Brussels on Friday to try and persuade his European counterpart to begin talking about the transition period as soon as next month.
He said: “I hope the member states will recognise the progress we’ve made and take a step forward in the spirit of the PM’s Florence speech. That’s how we move forward towards a deal that works for both the EU and the UK.”
Mr Davis will return to Brussels on Friday to try and persuade his European counterpart to begin talking about the transition period as soon as next month.
Discussions over how much money the UK continues to pay to the continent once it leaves the trading bloc is said be the biggest barrier to starting trade negotiations.
While Theresa May has said the UK will honour all its financial commitments the EU has asked the Prime Minister to give an exact figure the UK will pay.
The Government has indicated it is willing to meet Brussels’ demands for a £53 billion Brexit bill in a bid to move negotiations on to trade.
The money would cover the UK’s EU budget commitments and the costs os MEP pensions.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also suggested that December could be the month that trade negotiations begin.
Speaking last month she said there were “encouraging” signs and that she thought it possible to “take the work forward and then reach the start of the second phase in December.”
An EU official has denied that they are being deliberately difficult in the negotiations to punish the UK.
They said: “Some believe that the worse it gets for the British, the better for us… that maybe we could delay it all until for instance March, increasing the uncertainty and triggering the contingency plans in the corporate sector.
"That would be ruthless and risky, but people have different views on what is risky."