UK Prime Minister Theresa May will make a speech on Britain’s future relationship with the European Union on Sept. 22 in the Italian city of Florence, her spokesman said.
The speech will focus on what kind of ties Britain wants to have with the EU after it leaves the bloc in March 2019 - something British negotiators have been keen to discuss with a so-far reluctant Brussels.
“The prime minister wanted to give a speech on the UK’s future relationship with Europe in its historical heart,” May’s spokesman told reporters.
“She will underline the government’s wish for a deep and special partnership with the European Union once the UK leaves the EU.”
Negotiations on the terms of the divorce with the EU have made limited progress since May started a two-year countdown to Brexit.
That has prompted warnings from the EU that discussions on the future relationship between the two could be pushed back from their intended start time of October.
The September round of Brexit talks has been pushed back by a week until the end of the month, in what EU diplomats said was a move designed to allow May to make her speech.
Britain said the rescheduling was to allow both sides more time to make progress.