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| UK must be loyal on standards in return for market access – Macron | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| French president demands regulatory harmonisation as price of good Brexit deal | |
| Emmanuel Macron has warned Boris Johnson that the UK must remain “loyal” to EU standards post-Brexit for British companies to maintain access to the European market. | Emmanuel Macron has warned Boris Johnson that the UK must remain “loyal” to EU standards post-Brexit for British companies to maintain access to the European market. |
| In comments echoed by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the French president demanded continued regulatory harmonisation as the price for protecting the flow of trade, a demand that will be a cause of concern for the Conservative government. | In comments echoed by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the French president demanded continued regulatory harmonisation as the price for protecting the flow of trade, a demand that will be a cause of concern for the Conservative government. |
| Macron, who noted in an aside that his country would soon be the only nuclear power in the EU, told reporters: “If Boris Johnson wants a very ambitious trade deal, there has to be very ambitious regulatory convergence”, adding in English: “Be my guest.” | Macron, who noted in an aside that his country would soon be the only nuclear power in the EU, told reporters: “If Boris Johnson wants a very ambitious trade deal, there has to be very ambitious regulatory convergence”, adding in English: “Be my guest.” |
| “We do not want them to be an unfair competitor”, Macron said. “My message to the UK is that the more loyal we are vis-a-vis each other, the closer relationship we can have. | “We do not want them to be an unfair competitor”, Macron said. “My message to the UK is that the more loyal we are vis-a-vis each other, the closer relationship we can have. |
| “If the British prime minister and the British parliament want an ambitious trade deal, they know where the European standards are … The more they are attracted to reducing standards – on climate, social standards or anything else – the more they walk away from the European market, the more they will be away from us. The more ambitious the trade deal, the more we need regulatory harmonisation.” | |
| The intervention from Macron came as the new commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned that the post-Brexit negotiations on the future relationship would drag on beyond 2020. | The intervention from Macron came as the new commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned that the post-Brexit negotiations on the future relationship would drag on beyond 2020. |
| Johnson has said he will not extend the 11-month transition period, during which the UK will stay in the single market and customs union, but that this provides “ample” time for a comprehensive deal on the future relationship to be finalised. | |
| Von der Leyen appeared to directly contradict the prime minister by warning that certain parts of the deal would need to be prioritised, including trade in goods, fisheries and security cooperation, but that others, potentially including the arrangements for the financial services sector, would be left for later. | Von der Leyen appeared to directly contradict the prime minister by warning that certain parts of the deal would need to be prioritised, including trade in goods, fisheries and security cooperation, but that others, potentially including the arrangements for the financial services sector, would be left for later. |
| “We will have to prioritise”, Von der Leyen said at the end of a two-day leaders’ summit in Brussels. “We will put specific focus on those issues that were an economic cliff edge at the end of 2020 if they would not be done. Why is that? These These are issues where we have neither a framework to fall back on nor the possibility to take unilateral contingency measures covering the period after 1 January 2021.” | “We will have to prioritise”, Von der Leyen said at the end of a two-day leaders’ summit in Brussels. “We will put specific focus on those issues that were an economic cliff edge at the end of 2020 if they would not be done. Why is that? These These are issues where we have neither a framework to fall back on nor the possibility to take unilateral contingency measures covering the period after 1 January 2021.” |
| Von der Leyen described the plan as a matter of “sequencing” adding that “there will be more emphasis on a certain ranking”. | Von der Leyen described the plan as a matter of “sequencing” adding that “there will be more emphasis on a certain ranking”. |
| The size of Johnson’s majority has been welcomed in Brussels, where the 27 heads of state and government have gathered for a two-day summit. | The size of Johnson’s majority has been welcomed in Brussels, where the 27 heads of state and government have gathered for a two-day summit. |
| Charles Michel, the European council president, said he expected the withdrawal agreement to be passed through parliament within weeks to allow the UK to leave on 31 January. | Charles Michel, the European council president, said he expected the withdrawal agreement to be passed through parliament within weeks to allow the UK to leave on 31 January. |
| “We expect as soon as possible a vote by the British parliament on the withdrawal agreement,” Michel said. | “We expect as soon as possible a vote by the British parliament on the withdrawal agreement,” Michel said. |
| EU leaders believe the Conservative majority will give Johnson free rein to decide his negotiating objectives and compromise in the talks where necessary. | EU leaders believe the Conservative majority will give Johnson free rein to decide his negotiating objectives and compromise in the talks where necessary. |
| EU leaders are now waiting to see what incarnation of the prime minister will emerge now he is secure in Downing Street. | EU leaders are now waiting to see what incarnation of the prime minister will emerge now he is secure in Downing Street. |
| Johnson had initially approached the negotiations on the withdrawal agreement with bullish, uncompromising talk, but swiftly broke his red lines to concede to a customs border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. | Johnson had initially approached the negotiations on the withdrawal agreement with bullish, uncompromising talk, but swiftly broke his red lines to concede to a customs border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. |
| The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, hinted at private assurances from Johnson that he would sign up to EU standards in order to secure a trade deal. | The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, hinted at private assurances from Johnson that he would sign up to EU standards in order to secure a trade deal. |
| “I’d like that to ensure we still have tariff-free and quota-free trade between Britain and the EU and to have a set of minimum standards so that nobody feels that there’s unfair competition or anyone’s trying to undercut them when it comes to labour rights, environmental protection and issues like that,” he said. “And [from] my conversations with Mr Johnson, I think he’s probably in a similar space, so it’s a case of now getting on with it. | “I’d like that to ensure we still have tariff-free and quota-free trade between Britain and the EU and to have a set of minimum standards so that nobody feels that there’s unfair competition or anyone’s trying to undercut them when it comes to labour rights, environmental protection and issues like that,” he said. “And [from] my conversations with Mr Johnson, I think he’s probably in a similar space, so it’s a case of now getting on with it. |
| “It’s a case of now getting on with it and I think the prospect is there to develop a new future economic partnership between the EU and UK, and one that’s going to be mighty and good for all of us.” | “It’s a case of now getting on with it and I think the prospect is there to develop a new future economic partnership between the EU and UK, and one that’s going to be mighty and good for all of us.” |
| There is a debate among the EU27 and with the European commission on what might be possible to negotiate between 31 January, when the UK is expected to leave, and the end of the transition period 11 months later. | There is a debate among the EU27 and with the European commission on what might be possible to negotiate between 31 January, when the UK is expected to leave, and the end of the transition period 11 months later. |
| The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, conceded at the summit that it would be “quite a challenge given the short time available” to find agreement even on trade by the end of next year. “We have to discuss the precise approach to these negotiations,” he said. | The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, conceded at the summit that it would be “quite a challenge given the short time available” to find agreement even on trade by the end of next year. “We have to discuss the precise approach to these negotiations,” he said. |
| The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said her government would be pushing hard to maintain access to UK waters for Denmark’s fishing industry. “There is no doubt that fishing really matters,” she said. | The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said her government would be pushing hard to maintain access to UK waters for Denmark’s fishing industry. “There is no doubt that fishing really matters,” she said. |
| Satisfaction that there will now be clarity from the UK over the next steps has, however, been tempered by sadness at the its imminent departure. | Satisfaction that there will now be clarity from the UK over the next steps has, however, been tempered by sadness at the its imminent departure. |
| The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, said: “It is obviously a giant success for Boris Johnson. He is a charismatic leader. He won and now they will leave, unfortunately. That is bad news for Europe.” | The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, said: “It is obviously a giant success for Boris Johnson. He is a charismatic leader. He won and now they will leave, unfortunately. That is bad news for Europe.” |