The tension between the European Union and the United Kingdom about Brexit is increasing. This morning, negotiator Michel Barnier updated the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries and the tone was not optimistic, according to those involved. “In short: what the British cannot ask for.”
The differences of opinion seem unbridgeable and still concern the rules of the game for the internal market. The European Union does not want British companies to receive unfair state aid and thus compete with European companies. The UK, on the other hand, is loathe to think that the EU still has something to say about how it supports British business.
In addition, there is a difference of opinion about the sanctions that can be taken if the rules of the game are nevertheless broken. Europe wants to apply the rules of the world trade organization WTO, so for example impose extra taxes on cheese, while the difference of opinion is about airplanes or cars. The British, on the other hand, want punitive measures to apply only to the sector where there are problems. So in case of a difference of opinion about cheese, sanctions can only be imposed in the field of cheese.
“The British want the best of both worlds. They pretend to be a member and want the benefits of it and also want the benefits of being completely independent,” said a senior European diplomat.
After reports came out over the weekend about a possible deal in the field of fish, it turns out that today is different. For the time being, there is also no appointment on that site, Barnier has informed the ambassadors.
Today the talks continue. “We are very close to the red lines that we have set as the European Union. It only saves a few millimeters. We really cannot go further,” said the aforementioned EU diplomat. Tonight, British Prime Minister Johnson and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will speak.
The hope is that the two can force a breakthrough, so that the government leaders can give their approval to the agreements next Thursday during the EU summit. In the meantime, it is also taken into account that the negotiations will last until December 31. “Movements will only take place before the deadline”, according to expectations in the Dutch cabinet.
The deadline for the European Parliament is actually this week. Next week, Parliament will meet in Brussels for the last time this year and, strictly formally, the EP must approve an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom in that week. The politicians can only speak about it if the legal texts have been translated into all EU languages. French President Macron has already indicated that the text must be written in French anyway before he can judge it.