The European Union will introduce a new Brexit resolution, giving greater detail on the future trading relationship it will seek with Britain by mid-March, Guy Verhofstadt has said.

The European Parliament's Brexit coordinator this morning said it was the wish of the leaders of the EU27 that the "political" declaration will be "as precise as possible... so everyone knows what they are buying".

The declaration will be formalised during a session on 23 March.

"We will put into the resolution our clear view about how we see this trade agreement, how we see this cooperation on external security, for example," he said.

During a session of the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs committee, Verhofstadt also said any new immigration system in Britain could only be introduced after the Brexit transition period, suggesting that it would be 2021 at the earliest. But it was "not a question of religion" that transition end after two years, he added.

The ECJ would continue to have jurisdiction during transition, he noted, but thereafter a "specific system" would be required, although the exact nature of that system is yet to be determined.

"It will be the red lines of the UK which will decide on what type of relationship we will have and what will also define judiciary oversight that is necessary," he said.

On citizens rights, he suggested that the EU could collect and provide information for EU nationals who wish to apply for settled status in the UK, but did not confirm the report in today's Times that the EU might pay for citizens' applications.

Phase two will be more intense and difficult than the phase concluded at the end of last year, Verhofstadt added.

He was speaking ahead of next week's crucial meeting in which Brussels is expected to set out its framework for transition, granting Michel Barnier a new mandate for the negotiations.

Yesterday, the EU's key demands for transition were confirmed.