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BRUSSELS – Britain's European Union partners on Monday ratcheted up political pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May amid signs that some progress is being made in Brexit negotiations.
The United Kingdom leaves the EU on March 29 – the first country ever to be so – but a must to be sealed in the coming weeks.
"The ball is in the British court. It's a question of a British political decision, "Nathalie Loiseau, France's EU affairs minister, told reporters in Brussels.
Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders agreed, saying that the EU is "waiting for new news from London."
"We have time but not so much," he added.
The main obstacle to an agreement is how to keep goods flowing smoothly across the border between EU country Ireland and Northern Ireland in the U.K.
All parties have committed to avoiding a "hard border" with costly and time-consuming border checks that would haphazard business. Any new customs posts on the border could also re-ignite lingering sectarian tensions.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will update the ministers. They are awaiting him to report to the EU summit to seal a deal.
Signs have emerged in recent days that some progress is being made behind the scenes.
Austrian EU affairs minister, Gernot Bluemel – whose country holds the rotating presidency until the end of the year – said "there is a certain dynamic in the negotiations, but it is too early to say how we are going to proceed on that."
On Thursday, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said that it was a major breakthrough, "based on a number of EU leaders.
"We're going through crucial days now. We're very close now, "Sipila said.
Germany's EU affairs minister, Michael Roth, underlined that "the clock is ticking."
"The room for maneuver is very much limited and our British friends know exactly where our discussions are," he said.
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