Prime Minister Theresa May has issued a direct message to three million EU citizens living in Britain, promising she will make it as easy as possible for them to stay after Brexit.
In an open letter posted on her Facebook page and mailed to 100,000 EU nationals, May said the government and Brussels are "in touching distance" of a deal on citizens' rights and promised to involve EU expats in the design of a "streamlined" digital process for registering to remain.
And she repeated her message that "EU citizens living lawfully in the UK today will be able to stay".
The offer comes as May prepares for disappointment at a European Council summit where leaders of the remaining 27 EU member states will agree that it is too early to begin formal negotiations on a future trade relationship, as Britain had hoped.
Addressing the 27 leaders over dinner in Brussels on Thursday, the PM will urge them at least to begin preparatory talks among themselves about the transition to a future relationship, so they are ready to begin negotiations "as soon as possible".
May received a boost on Wednesday, as Council president Donald Tusk declared he will recommend that the EU27 begin "internal preparations for talks on the transition and the future relationship" which could begin as early as the next scheduled summit in December.
But Mr Tusk warned that progress in December would require "more concrete proposals from the British side", in comments reflecting pressure from Brussels for further UK concessions on a so-called "divorce bill" which could reach 60 billion euros ($A90 billion).
Mrs May's official spokesman indicated that she will urge the EU27 to concentrate on the future opportunities for co-operation, rather than the details of unstitching Britain's 44-year membership.
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