Brexit's Costs and Whether Britain Will Pay Up: QuickTake Q&A

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it will be “hefty." British Trade Secretary Liam Fox called the notion of it “absurd.” It’s the bill that the European Union wants to impose on the U.K. when Prime Minister Theresa May’s government carries out its plan to leave the bloc. The charge, according to European leaders, could be 60 billion to 80 billion euros ($67 billion to $90 billion), which is more than the British defense budget. The topic figures to be one of the early flash points and tone-setters in the Brexit negotiations, ultimately shaping how amicable the breakup is and what trade deal May is able to land.

European Commission negotiator Michel Barnier wants the British to cover their liabilities and commitments to the EU budget -- even, perhaps, ones that don’t come due until after Brexit. “We have to be rigorous in our approach to clearing these accounts,” he said. Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas likened it to leaving a bar but still needing “to pay for the round you ordered."