Xavier Bettel Praises EU27 Unity at Council Meeting in Brussels

Luxembourg's Prime Minister and Minister of State, Xavier Bettel, participated in the extraordinary European Council, which took place on Sunday 25 November 2018 in Brussels.

The European Council in 27-member format, met under the presidency of Donald Tusk, to formalise the withdrawal agreement of the United Kingdom (Brexit) and approve the political declaration setting the framework for future relations between the EU and the United Kingdom, which accompanies the withdrawal agreement.

Prime Minister Bettel praised the ongoing unity of the 27 member states in the negotiations for the withdrawal agreement. He was relieved that the exit agreement, negotiated with the United Kingdom, guarantees the rights of millions of European citizens in the United Kingdom, including the 2,000 Luxembourgers who currently live in Britain.

"The exit agreement is a compromise, it is neither a victory for Europe, nor for the United Kingdom" said PM Bettel at the end of the Council meeting. He lamented that Britain is no longer a member of the European Union but was convinced that it will remain a privileged partner of the European Union and therefore also of Luxembourg. "With the departure of the United Kingdom, Luxembourg loses an ally in Brussels, but we will maintain close relations with this country which, during the twentieth century, contributed twice to Luxembourg's independence."