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Fresh Brexit talks row as UK asks EU to keep its proposals secret Fresh Brexit talks row as UK asks EU to keep its proposals secret
(30 minutes later)
Downing Street’s secrecy over its “underwhelming” Brexit proposals has caused a fresh rupture in the negotiations in Brussels.Downing Street’s secrecy over its “underwhelming” Brexit proposals has caused a fresh rupture in the negotiations in Brussels.
The row centres on a demand that the EU’s negotiating team treat a long-awaited cache of documents outlining the UK’s latest ideas as “Her Majesty’s government property”.The row centres on a demand that the EU’s negotiating team treat a long-awaited cache of documents outlining the UK’s latest ideas as “Her Majesty’s government property”.
The European commission team was told by Whitehall that the three “confidential” papers it had sent on Thursday evening should not be distributed to Brexit delegates representing the EU’s 27 other member states.The European commission team was told by Whitehall that the three “confidential” papers it had sent on Thursday evening should not be distributed to Brexit delegates representing the EU’s 27 other member states.
Sources in Brussels said that in response the point was being made forcefully to the British negotiating team that all proposals would need to be made available for the EU’s capitals to analyse for talks to progress.Sources in Brussels said that in response the point was being made forcefully to the British negotiating team that all proposals would need to be made available for the EU’s capitals to analyse for talks to progress.
With the 30-day timetable set by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, for solving the problem of the Irish border falling on Friday, there is despair in Brussels at the state of the talks, with the latest ideas seen as “more of the same” from Downing Street. With the 30-day timetable mooted by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel for solving the problem of the Irish border falling on Friday, there is despair in Brussels at the state of the talks, with the latest ideas seen as “more of the same” from Downing Street.
The three so-called non-papers – which do not commit the government to a specific policy solution – raise suggestions broached last week by David Frost, who is Boris Johnson’s chief negotiator, and which have been trawled over and rejected at an earlier stage in the two years of talks.The three so-called non-papers – which do not commit the government to a specific policy solution – raise suggestions broached last week by David Frost, who is Boris Johnson’s chief negotiator, and which have been trawled over and rejected at an earlier stage in the two years of talks.
They include the use of technology and trusted traders schemes to facilitate customs checks away from the Irish border and the joint surveillance of the market in manufactured goods to ensure sub-standard goods do not enter the single market.They include the use of technology and trusted traders schemes to facilitate customs checks away from the Irish border and the joint surveillance of the market in manufactured goods to ensure sub-standard goods do not enter the single market.
The one area of convergence is on the need for an all-Ireland sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) or agrifood zone. One of the UK’s paper opens discussions on its scope.The one area of convergence is on the need for an all-Ireland sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) or agrifood zone. One of the UK’s paper opens discussions on its scope.
Explaining to the EU27 the failure to provide copies of the papers to the member states’ representatives, the commission’s Brexit taskforce wrote in an email: “The UK labelled the documents as HMG property and requested us not to do any onward disclosure … We intend to discuss working methods with the UK in terms of transparency and sharing information.”Explaining to the EU27 the failure to provide copies of the papers to the member states’ representatives, the commission’s Brexit taskforce wrote in an email: “The UK labelled the documents as HMG property and requested us not to do any onward disclosure … We intend to discuss working methods with the UK in terms of transparency and sharing information.”
The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has previously claimed that the government has been loth to share written proposals with the EU in case they are leaked and trashed in public.The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has previously claimed that the government has been loth to share written proposals with the EU in case they are leaked and trashed in public.
EU diplomats complain that it will be impossible for the negotiations to progress if the member states are unable to thoroughly analyse British plans for replacing the Irish backstop.EU diplomats complain that it will be impossible for the negotiations to progress if the member states are unable to thoroughly analyse British plans for replacing the Irish backstop.
Downing Street is refusing to commit to tabling any concrete solutions for replacing the backstop before a two-week deadline suggested by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the prime minister of Finland, Antti Rinne, to allow time for negotiations to bear fruit before a crunch summit on 17 October.Downing Street is refusing to commit to tabling any concrete solutions for replacing the backstop before a two-week deadline suggested by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the prime minister of Finland, Antti Rinne, to allow time for negotiations to bear fruit before a crunch summit on 17 October.
A Downing Street spokesman described it as “artificial”. “We will table formal written solutions when we are ready,” the spokesman said.A Downing Street spokesman described it as “artificial”. “We will table formal written solutions when we are ready,” the spokesman said.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, the Irish deputy prime minister, Simon Coveney, said the gap between the two negotiating position was wide.Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, the Irish deputy prime minister, Simon Coveney, said the gap between the two negotiating position was wide.
He said: “Asking to remove a very significant section from the withdrawal agreement that solves many of the Irish issues without any serious proposals on how you solve these problems is not going to be the basis of an agreement.”He said: “Asking to remove a very significant section from the withdrawal agreement that solves many of the Irish issues without any serious proposals on how you solve these problems is not going to be the basis of an agreement.”
The Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, is visiting Brussels on Friday. His trip coincides with the end of the 30-day “blistering timetable” to break the Brexit deadlock declared by Johnson when he met Merkel in Berlin. The German chancellor said the two sides could “maybe find [a Brexit solution] in the next 30 days”, although she later clarified she had not set a formal deadline, but was pointing to the urgency of the situation.The Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, is visiting Brussels on Friday. His trip coincides with the end of the 30-day “blistering timetable” to break the Brexit deadlock declared by Johnson when he met Merkel in Berlin. The German chancellor said the two sides could “maybe find [a Brexit solution] in the next 30 days”, although she later clarified she had not set a formal deadline, but was pointing to the urgency of the situation.
Brussels insiders have always said there was never a 30-day deadline. “There’s only one real deadline and that’s 31 October,” one EU diplomat told the Guardian. “More worrying is that the last 30 days haven’t been put to any good use, [and neither] were the last couple of months. It doesn’t bode well about the intentions of this government for the last 30-odd days [of remaining talks]. Is the UK really happy to leave Europe without a deal?”Brussels insiders have always said there was never a 30-day deadline. “There’s only one real deadline and that’s 31 October,” one EU diplomat told the Guardian. “More worrying is that the last 30 days haven’t been put to any good use, [and neither] were the last couple of months. It doesn’t bode well about the intentions of this government for the last 30-odd days [of remaining talks]. Is the UK really happy to leave Europe without a deal?”
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