Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (C) receives Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen (R) and Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny (L) at the Catshuis in The Hague, The Netherlands on April 21, 2017. | Koen van Weel/AFP via Getty Images Northern EU trio: Don’t let minutiae hijack Brexit talks Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands want to avoid any delay to trade talks.

THE HAGUE — The leaders of Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands made a joint appeal to the EU Friday not to let minor issues “hijack” the Brexit talks so negotiations can move onto trade as soon as possible.

“It’s not about that we fear that someone could hijack the negotiations, it’s about making sure that we avoid something like that,” said Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen at a mini-summit among the three countries in The Hague.

The three stressed that, due to their close trade ties with the UK, they would have much to lose the longer businesses are uncertain over what rules will govern trade with Britain after it leaves.

Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "If the prime minister [Theresa May] says that what she wants for Britain is as close a relationship with the European Union as possible, we support that, and the less implications there are for tariffs, and obstructions and administrative bureaucracy the better for everyone."

Before the future relationship can be sketched out, the European Council must determine that sufficient progress has been made on the first stage of the talks, on Britain’s bill for leaving the EU and the rights of citizens.

“We very much agreed that we will make sure that a decision [on progress] will be taken, that we prevent that some very small issue that might come up that could hijack the discussion,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

“We don’t want to wait for too long.”

The three hope their position will be reflected in negotiating guidelines set to be agreed at a European Council meeting in eight days.

Approval is needed from all 27 countries.