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EU scraps plans for Brexit summit statement on future trade deal EU scraps plans for Brexit summit statement on future trade deal
(35 minutes later)
EU leaders have scrapped plans to discuss and publish a draft declaration this week on the bloc’s future trade deal with the UK after the derailment of the talks over the Irish border, in a blow to Theresa May.EU leaders have scrapped plans to discuss and publish a draft declaration this week on the bloc’s future trade deal with the UK after the derailment of the talks over the Irish border, in a blow to Theresa May.
An outline of an agreement was due to be “on the table” at a summit dinner of leaders on Wednesday night, ahead of which the prime minister is set to address the 27 EU heads of state. An outline of an agreement was due to be “on the table” at a summit dinner of leaders on Wednesday night, before which the prime minister is scheduled to address the 27 other EU heads of state.
Developments on Sunday afternoon, when the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, refused to sign off on an agreement on the Irish border, have brought those carefully choreographed plans to a halt. Developments on Sunday, when the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, refused to sign off on an agreement on the Irish border, have brought the carefully choreographed plans to a halt.
“Since there is no agreement on the Irish backstop there will not be an outline of joint political declaration on the table on Wednesday evening … [that] will not change before Wednesday”, a senior EU official said. “I think that was clear on Sunday afternoon, that what we got from Michel Barnier [the EU’s chief negotiator] was that the spirit of talks on Sunday were not promising any progress before the summit this Wednesday.” “Since there is no agreement on the Irish backstop there will not be an outline of joint political declaration on the table on Wednesday evening … [that] will not change before Wednesday,” a senior EU official said. “I think that was clear on Sunday afternoon, that what we got from Michel Barnier [the EU’s chief negotiator] was that the spirit of talks on Sunday were not promising any progress before the summit this Wednesday.”
Arriving in Luxembourg before a meeting of EU ministers with Barnier, Germany’s minister, Michael Roth, said Berlin was aware the prime minister was constrained in doing a deal by her domestic vulnerability. Asked what his message to May would be, he told reporters: “Take responsibility and be constructive.” Arriving in Luxembourg before a meeting of EU ministers with Barnier, Germany’s minister, Michael Roth, said Berlin was aware the prime minister was constrained by her domestic vulnerability. Asked what his message to May would be, he told reporters: “Take responsibility and be constructive.”
During a summit in Salzburg last month, Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, had demanded “maximum progress” on the backstop for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit, with the EU proposing that Northern Ireland in effect stay in the customs union and single market. “We can have either a smooth Brexit or rocky one,” said France’s EU affairs minister, Nathalie Loiseau. “We all prefer a smooth one but we have to stand ready if there is no deal.”
Tusk, on the bidding of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had insisted tat this was a condition for an extraordinary meeting on Brexit in November. During a summit in Salzburg last month, Donald Tusk, the president of the European council, had demanded “maximum progress” in the talks. The backstop for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland remains a key sticking point, with the EU proposing that Northern Ireland in effect stay in the customs union and single market.
But EU officials have cast serious doubt on whether such a summit, where it was hoped a final deal could be struck, could take place. Tusk, on the bidding of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had said such progress being made in the talks was a condition for an extraordinary meeting on Brexit to be held in November.
It was instead suggested that a crunch summit in December could be in play, despite senior UK officials suggesting that such a timetable could make it all but impossible to get the necessary Brexit legislation through parliament. EU officials have cast serious doubt on whether such a summit, where it was hoped a final deal could be struck, will take place. It was instead suggested that a crunch summit in December could be in play, despite senior UK officials suggesting that such a timetable could make it all but impossible to get the necessary Brexit legislation through parliament.
“It is always the case that decisions are made at five to 12 [midnight]”, a senior EU official involved in the negotiations said. “The November summit is not a given. And I should remind you what Tusk said in Salzburg.” “It is always the case that decisions are made at five to 12 [midnight],” a senior EU official involved in the negotiations said. “The November summit is not a given. And I should remind you what Tusk said in Salzburg.”
The European commission is instead expected this week to publish a new raft of “no-deal” notices to alert businesses and member states on how to deal with the UK crashing out of the bloc. A French government official suggested that an alternative plan would be to bring a November summit forward should there be movement by the UK on the Irish issue in the coming weeks, with December then taking on the ceremonial role of signing off on a political declaration.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, is to update leaders on the EU’s state of readiness at the summit dinner, with an EU source saying “the time is ripe” for such a move. With such uncertainty in the process, the European commission is expected this week to publish a new raft of “no deal” notices to alert businesses and member states on how to deal with the UK crashing out of the bloc. They had been held back for fear of upsetting the talks, at a point when progress had been detected.
“These are real issues” the official said. “Maybe they are not as dramatic as in the UK but they are still real and they will still affect life on the continent.” Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, is to update leaders on the ’bloc’s state of readiness at the summit dinner, with an EU source saying “the time is ripe” for such a move.
The EU official, speaking on the eve of what had been billed as a “moment of truth” summit for the Brexit talks, added: “Clearly we are not in the place we wanted to be in October, so from that perspective that truth is … we have clarity actually. More clarity now than in September in Salzburg. What we have found out in the process leading to this meeting on Wednesday is that it is not going to be so easy to find a deal between the EU and the UK.” “These are real issues,” the official said. “Maybe they are not as dramatic as in the UK but they are still real and they will still affect life on the continent.”
The EU official, speaking on the eve of what had been billed as a “moment of truth” summit for the Brexit talks, said: “Clearly we are not in the place we wanted to be in October, so from that perspective that truth is … we have clarity actually. More clarity now than in September in Salzburg. What we have found out in the process leading to this meeting on Wednesday is that it is not going to be so easy to find a deal between the EU and the UK.”
Asked whether Tusk and the EU leaders would be careful to avoid repeating the outcome of the Salzburg summit, which was widely said to have been a humiliation for May, the EU official responded: “Sometimes you have the impression that telling the truth is showing a lack of respect but we believe that it is on the contrary.”Asked whether Tusk and the EU leaders would be careful to avoid repeating the outcome of the Salzburg summit, which was widely said to have been a humiliation for May, the EU official responded: “Sometimes you have the impression that telling the truth is showing a lack of respect but we believe that it is on the contrary.”
He added: “The economic part of Chequers is not going to work, there is no way to frictionless trade outside the single market and customs union.”He added: “The economic part of Chequers is not going to work, there is no way to frictionless trade outside the single market and customs union.”
May is to address the EU’s 27 leaders in a room on the third floor of the Europa building in Brussels, before the heads of state have a dinner without her to discuss their next steps. May is to address the EU27 leaders in a room on the third floor of the Europa building in Brussels, before the heads of state have a dinner without her to discuss their next steps.
“There will not be any food on the table,” the EU official joked of the first meeting, adding that he did not expect May’s intervention to play a major role in the discussions. He added that attempts to divide the 27 member states have only strengthened the unity of the EU, and their backing for both Barnier and the Republic of Ireland in the talks. “There will not be any food on the table,” the EU official joked of the first meeting, adding that he did not expect May’s intervention to play a major role in the discussions. He said attempts to divide the 27 other member states have only strengthened the unity of the EU and their backing for both Barnier and the Republic of Ireland in the talks.
On Monday, the prime minister had said she would not accept the EU’s proposal on the backstop, in which Northern Ireland could potentially stay in the EU’s customs union and single market as the rest of the UK withdrew. On Monday, May had said she would not accept the EU’s proposal on the backstop, in which Northern Ireland could potentially stay in the customs union and single market as the rest of the UK withdrew.
The EU official said: “What I also expect as one of the messages that will be expressed by the summit on Wednesday is full and strong support of the line as expressed in the [European Union’s] guidelines so that also covers the issue of Ireland.The EU official said: “What I also expect as one of the messages that will be expressed by the summit on Wednesday is full and strong support of the line as expressed in the [European Union’s] guidelines so that also covers the issue of Ireland.
“You remember that line that there is no withdrawal agreement without a backstop that will work, which is legally binding, so I think that is not going to change. But we still hope that there is a way to find an agreement.”“You remember that line that there is no withdrawal agreement without a backstop that will work, which is legally binding, so I think that is not going to change. But we still hope that there is a way to find an agreement.”
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