Brexit is back. The British have now left the European Union, but the two parties are still arguing about their future relationship. Time is running out and the news is piling up quickly, so we’ll have a quick update on what happened this week.
Let’s get started with the fireworks right away. The relationship between the two neighbors has been under pressure for months and the British will throw extra oil on that fire on Wednesday. The UK government presents a bill that undermines the main elements of the Withdrawal Agreement (which enshrines the exit from the EU).
In the bill, London gives itself the power to change agreements on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Johnson administration wants goods to move smoothly through the UK, while last year it was agreed that Northern Ireland would remain part of the European customs union. As a result, products from Great Britain are not allowed to simply cross over to Northern Ireland. All of this was agreed to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is now coming back to those words, less than a year after the Brexit agreement was concluded. The prime minister says Saturday The Telegraph that the agreements “destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK”. The same Johnson called the same deal “very good” and “oven ready” in December.
Brussels furious, wants to see the bill in the bin before October
The bill is going down the wrong way for the people across the Channel. They feel betrayed by this sudden turn. After all, the EU has spent more than three years negotiating the withdrawal agreement.
“Violating agreements in the Withdrawal Agreement is in breach of international law, undermines confidence and could pose a risk to the ongoing negotiations on the future relationship,” said EU Vice President Maros Sefcovic after an emergency meeting with top UK officials.
Brussels is demanding that the Johnson government bill be shredded by the end of the month. If not, the EU will go to court.
Déjà vu feeling after again no breakthrough in negotiations
While the two parties en plein argue publicly about the bill, negotiations are continuing behind closed doors on a trade agreement this week. The necessary breakthrough is also not achieved in this eighth round of negotiations.
Of statement by EU top negotiator Michel Barnier has now aroused a kind of déjà vu feeling. As with previous rounds of negotiations, the French lashes out at the attitude of the British. According to him, they do not show the same commitment as the EU.
With the deteriorated relationship and the lack of progress, the dreaded no-deal Brexit seems to be getting closer again as of January. Barnier therefore concludes his statement that the EU will step up its preparations for “all scenarios by 1 January 2021”. “Nobody should underestimate the practical, economic and social consequences of a no deal,” says Barnier.
The parties will meet in Brussels on 28 September for the ninth and for now final round of negotiations.
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