BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) – Shortly before the end of the Brexit transition phase, MEPs sharply criticize the fact that there is still no trade agreement between the European Union and Great Britain. “The madness continues,” said SPD Brexit expert Bernd Lange of the German Press Agency in Brussels. “It is unacceptable that citizens and companies do not know what to do next a few days before January 1st, and that in a situation that is worsening due to the corona pandemic.” He was cautiously optimistic about the chances of an agreement.
Left parliamentary group leader Martin Schirdewan told the dpa that an agreement should have been ready some time ago to allow a democratic review. “This leaves only bad options. The worst of the bad options would be the no deal. This would risk negative social consequences and jobs. That must be avoided.” The best option would be to extend the Brexit transition period, said the left-wing politician.
This transition period expires on December 31st. Then Great Britain will automatically leave the internal market and the customs union. Without a follow-up agreement, there is a risk of tariffs and trade barriers, as well as stricter goods controls at the borders. Thousands of trucks are already jammed on the British side on the way to the continent because France had temporarily sealed off the border due to the mutated corona virus – from the point of view of critics a foretaste of the situation in a no-deal Brexit.
Lange and Schirdewan belong to the Brexit expert group in the European Parliament, which was informed by EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Tuesday evening. The SPD expert Lange said: “I assume that both sides will get a deal. At the moment the chances are like this.” However, there are still fierce arguments about fishing rights and a few other points. “The package is not yet complete.”
If something happens in the next few days, “we have to take emergency measures to avoid distortions”. Then the absolutely necessary clauses should be applied provisionally and the package should be examined and ratified early next year, said Lange. Schirdewan said that since the provisional application would also need to be applied in advance, EU lawyers saw Christmas Eve, noon./vsr/DP/mis as the final deadline for an agreement
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