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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/19/brexit-eu-must-take-risks-with-irish-border-says-barclay
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| Downing Street rejects Macron's two-week deadline for Brexit plan | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Downing Street has refused to commit to tabling its Brexit plans for replacing the Irish backstop within two weeks, branding it an “artificial deadline” and agreeing only to share informal “non-papers” on its preferred solutions. | |
| A UK government spokesman said they would not recognise France and Finland’s joint request for a deadline of the end of September and would only table firm proposals when Boris Johnson was ready. | |
| Johnson was previously challenged in mid-August by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, to come up with a solution within 30 days but the UK has not tabled anything concrete in the last month – with just six weeks to go before the UK is due to leave the EU. | |
| A UK government spokesman said: “We have been having detailed discussions with the Commission’s Taskforce 50 in recent weeks. We have now shared in written form a series of confidential technical non-papers which reflect the ideas the UK has been putting forward. We will table formal written solutions when we are ready, not according to an artificial deadline, and when the EU is clear that it will engage constructively on them as a replacement for the backstop.” | |
| Until now, the UK had only formally presented versions of the withdrawal agreement with the backstop scrubbed out, while discussing its ideas informally in meetings. | |
| It has now presented “non-papers” which are a way of floating proposals for discussion without the government committing to any position. | |
| Frustration has been mounting in the EU about the UK’s refusal to disclose its formal position, even though Johnson is still insisting he wants to reach a deal before Brexit is due to happen on 31 October. If no deal is reached, Johnson will be forced by law to request a three-month extension to article 50, although he has maintained he will not do that. | |
| With time running out, Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, said that the “purist” EU would have to “take risks” with the Irish border for a deal to be struck. | |
| As the government announced that Barclay would visit Brussels on Friday to reopen talks with the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, the cabinet minister said the European commission had to abandon its position. | As the government announced that Barclay would visit Brussels on Friday to reopen talks with the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, the cabinet minister said the European commission had to abandon its position. |
| Speaking to business leaders in Madrid, Barclay said: “A rigid approach now at this point is no way to progress a deal and the responsibility sits with both sides to find a solution. | Speaking to business leaders in Madrid, Barclay said: “A rigid approach now at this point is no way to progress a deal and the responsibility sits with both sides to find a solution. |
| “We are committed to carving out a landing zone and we stand ready to share relevant texts. But it must be in the spirit of negotiation with flexibility and with a negotiating partner that itself is willing to compromise.” | “We are committed to carving out a landing zone and we stand ready to share relevant texts. But it must be in the spirit of negotiation with flexibility and with a negotiating partner that itself is willing to compromise.” |
| He went on: “Great political leaders have always respected the need to take risks. Indeed it was General de Gaulle who said a true statesman is one who is willing to take risks. | He went on: “Great political leaders have always respected the need to take risks. Indeed it was General de Gaulle who said a true statesman is one who is willing to take risks. |
| “Yet a refusal by the commission to accept any risk would be a failure of statecraft, and put at risk the future relationship of the UK and the EU because of a lack of flexibility, creativity and indeed pragmatism. Leadership requires more than remaining within a safety net.” | “Yet a refusal by the commission to accept any risk would be a failure of statecraft, and put at risk the future relationship of the UK and the EU because of a lack of flexibility, creativity and indeed pragmatism. Leadership requires more than remaining within a safety net.” |
| On Wednesday, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he had no “emotional attachment” to the Irish backstop, the protocol in the withdrawal agreement that Boris Johnson wants removed. | On Wednesday, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he had no “emotional attachment” to the Irish backstop, the protocol in the withdrawal agreement that Boris Johnson wants removed. |
| But he told MEPs in an address to the European parliament that he had told the British prime minister during their lunch in Luxembourg on Monday he had “an intimate commitment to its objectives”. | But he told MEPs in an address to the European parliament that he had told the British prime minister during their lunch in Luxembourg on Monday he had “an intimate commitment to its objectives”. |
| The British government’s version of Brexit involves the UK ultimately leaving the single market and customs union, requiring the return of a range of checks on goods crossing the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The “backstop” is intended as a standstill placeholder to ensure such checks do not have to be imposed between Brexit happening with a deal, and the start of a new free trade agreement yet to be negotiated between the UK and the EU. | The British government’s version of Brexit involves the UK ultimately leaving the single market and customs union, requiring the return of a range of checks on goods crossing the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The “backstop” is intended as a standstill placeholder to ensure such checks do not have to be imposed between Brexit happening with a deal, and the start of a new free trade agreement yet to be negotiated between the UK and the EU. |
| Theresa May's withdrawal agreement proposed keeping the whole of the UK in a shared customs territory with the EU during this period. An alternative idea involves only Northern Ireland staying in the EU’s customs territory. That would place a customs border in the Irish Sea. May described it as a threat to the constitutional integrity of the UK, but the new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has opened the current talks by proposing an all-Ireland agri-food zone. The suggestion is that he will seek to quietly build on that with further NI-only arrangements. | Theresa May's withdrawal agreement proposed keeping the whole of the UK in a shared customs territory with the EU during this period. An alternative idea involves only Northern Ireland staying in the EU’s customs territory. That would place a customs border in the Irish Sea. May described it as a threat to the constitutional integrity of the UK, but the new prime minister, Boris Johnson, has opened the current talks by proposing an all-Ireland agri-food zone. The suggestion is that he will seek to quietly build on that with further NI-only arrangements. |
| Given an NI-only backstop was an EU proposal in the first place, the U-turn would be warmly welcomed in Brussels, although attempts to give the Northern Ireland assembly a veto on its continuation would not be acceptable, and the DUP would be unlikely to support the prime minister in such a move in parliament. | Given an NI-only backstop was an EU proposal in the first place, the U-turn would be warmly welcomed in Brussels, although attempts to give the Northern Ireland assembly a veto on its continuation would not be acceptable, and the DUP would be unlikely to support the prime minister in such a move in parliament. |
| If there is a no-deal Brexit, then there is no backstop. | If there is a no-deal Brexit, then there is no backstop. |
| Daniel Boffey | Daniel Boffey |
| The two sides have starkly different visions of what the withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol need to guarantee. | The two sides have starkly different visions of what the withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol need to guarantee. |
| The EU wants an arrangement that will secure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland to maintain the status quo while the UK has sketched out a plan in which some checks on goods would be necessary, albeit facilitated by technology. | The EU wants an arrangement that will secure frictionless trade on the island of Ireland to maintain the status quo while the UK has sketched out a plan in which some checks on goods would be necessary, albeit facilitated by technology. |
| Barclay described the EU approach as “purist” in seeking “to have no impact on the island of Ireland economy or north-south trade”. | Barclay described the EU approach as “purist” in seeking “to have no impact on the island of Ireland economy or north-south trade”. |
| “This could only be achieved through never leaving parts of the single market and customs union, for any checks would fall foul of an alternative that involves no checks at all,” he said. “This is a false test.” | “This could only be achieved through never leaving parts of the single market and customs union, for any checks would fall foul of an alternative that involves no checks at all,” he said. “This is a false test.” |
| The UK is proposing Northern Ireland stays under EU rules for agri-food but that there would otherwise be two regulatory zones on the island of Ireland. | The UK is proposing Northern Ireland stays under EU rules for agri-food but that there would otherwise be two regulatory zones on the island of Ireland. |
| Barclay went on to say that the appropriate time for fleshing out how technology and facilitated customs systems would work to ensure peace and the smooth running of the all-Ireland economy was during the standstill transition period after the UK had formally left the EU. | Barclay went on to say that the appropriate time for fleshing out how technology and facilitated customs systems would work to ensure peace and the smooth running of the all-Ireland economy was during the standstill transition period after the UK had formally left the EU. |
| The EU is insisting on an “all-weather” insurance against the return of border checks agreed before Brexit. | The EU is insisting on an “all-weather” insurance against the return of border checks agreed before Brexit. |
| Barclay, who has not held talks in Brussels since July, said the EU needed to recognise the “political reality in the UK”. | Barclay, who has not held talks in Brussels since July, said the EU needed to recognise the “political reality in the UK”. |
| He said: “The alternative to the backstop is not necessary until the end of the implementation period, which is December 2020. | He said: “The alternative to the backstop is not necessary until the end of the implementation period, which is December 2020. |
| “Indeed this will be shaped by the future relationship, which is still to be determined. In short, why risk crystallising an undesirable result this November when both sides can work together until December 2020.” | “Indeed this will be shaped by the future relationship, which is still to be determined. In short, why risk crystallising an undesirable result this November when both sides can work together until December 2020.” |
| The government has so far refused to hand over written proposals for its alternative to the backstop for fear they will be immediately rejected as unworkable. | The government has so far refused to hand over written proposals for its alternative to the backstop for fear they will be immediately rejected as unworkable. |
| Finland’s prime minister, Antti Rinne, following talks in Paris with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Britain should outline its Brexit plans to the EU by the end of September to allow negotiations to bear fruit. | Finland’s prime minister, Antti Rinne, following talks in Paris with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Britain should outline its Brexit plans to the EU by the end of September to allow negotiations to bear fruit. |
| Barclay suggested the government would live up to such a deadline but that there was little point in substantive talks unless Brussels shifted its position. | Barclay suggested the government would live up to such a deadline but that there was little point in substantive talks unless Brussels shifted its position. |
| The Irish backstop proposed by the EU would in effect keep Northern Ireland in the single market and the whole of the UK in a shared customs territory until a future trade deal was negotiated that could avoid the need for border checks. | The Irish backstop proposed by the EU would in effect keep Northern Ireland in the single market and the whole of the UK in a shared customs territory until a future trade deal was negotiated that could avoid the need for border checks. |
| Barclay said: “The EU risks continuing to insist on a test that the UK cannot meet and that the UK parliament has rejected three times.” | Barclay said: “The EU risks continuing to insist on a test that the UK cannot meet and that the UK parliament has rejected three times.” |
| He insisted that despite the Benn bill, which instructs the prime minister to seek and agree an extension of the UK’s membership of the EU beyond 31 October if a deal is not agreed, that this was “not an option for this government”. | He insisted that despite the Benn bill, which instructs the prime minister to seek and agree an extension of the UK’s membership of the EU beyond 31 October if a deal is not agreed, that this was “not an option for this government”. |
| The Brexit secretary said the government would abide by the law but that “we will look at it closely and test exactly where we are”. | The Brexit secretary said the government would abide by the law but that “we will look at it closely and test exactly where we are”. |
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| Stephen Barclay | Stephen Barclay |
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| Michel Barnier | Michel Barnier |
| Ireland | Ireland |
| Europe | Europe |
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