UK Brexit Secretary David Davis said that the Brexit talks had gotten off to a "promising start" even though it has become obvious that Britain conceded to the EU's preferred order. For one thing, renewed debate in her cabinet on how far to go with her clean break from the single market and customs union has made it hard to present a coherent set of demands in Brussels. "I'm well aware that throughout the process there will be points of compromise".
Britain's political instability has caused concerns in European capitals hoping to get the negotiations over with quickly and cleanly, as has May's oft-repeated threat to walk away from the talks without a deal if necessary.
The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier said: "We are talking about orderly withdrawal first and that makes sense".
"A very good day - for us", one senior European Union figure said with a note of triumph after discussions finally began, almost a year after the Brexit vote and with only 21 months to reach a deal. However, ending ECJ jurisdiction over United Kingdom law is one area that the United Kingdom government has said is not negotiable.
These include the thorny issues of Britain's estimated 100-billion-euro ($112 billion) exit bill, the rights of European Union citizens living in Britain, and the fate of the border in Northern Ireland.
"This first session was useful, we start off on the right foot as the clock is ticking", Barnier told a joint press conference with British counterpart David Davis.
Ms May, whose future is uncertain after she lost her Conservative majority in an election this month, has insisted that trade talks start immediately and run in parallel.
In the second step, "we will scope our future partnership".
The EU is determined to have the final say on any Brexit deal.
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N. Ireland is expected to be dealt with early on, between Oliver Robbins, UK prime minister's Sherpa, her chief diplomatic advisor and number two in the negotiations after Davis from the UK side and European Commission's Deputy Chief Negotiator Sabine Weyand on the EU-27 side.
Britain now appears to have given in on the EU's insistence that the negotiations first focus on three key divorce issues, before moving on to the future EU-UK relationship and a possible trade deal.
A special dialogue involving senior negotiators from each side has been set up to consider the issue, with Mr Davis' official Olly Robbins holding talks with Mr Barnier's deputy Sabine Weyand on the issue. "And we agreed that we stand a much greater chance of success if our teams work together as that's been demonstrated today", added the Brexit secretary.
With discontent in europhile Scotland and troubled Northern Ireland, which faces a new European Union border across the divided island, Brexit poses new threats to the integrity of the United Kingdom.
"I would like us to get a good agreement that is in both sides' interests".
European Union diplomats hope this first meeting, and a Brussels summit on Thursday and Friday where Theresa May will meet fellow European Union leaders, will improve the mood after some spiky exchanges.
"These talks will be hard at points, but we will be approaching them in a constructive way".
She asked: "You mentioned the word concession there, that is the reality isn't it?"
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