Brussels, 25/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 25 July, the European Commission rejected reports in a number of newspapers over the weekend, such as The Guardian, that Europe may offer London access to the Single Market while allowing it an exemption for up to seven years for free circulation of European citizens.
An emergency clause of this nature was foreseen in the draft negotiations of the UK's relations with the EU, unveiled by Donald Tusk on 2 February, which included an emergency brake that the UK was allowed to activate for at least four years on social security payments to European workers while during this period gradually returning to payment of benefits to European workers. Commissioner spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said that everything included in the renegotiation agreement ceased to exist on 24 June and this offer is no longer on the table.
In the morning, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker personally pointed out in an interview on French television that there was no access to the Single Market without free circulation and that this was a reflection of the very philosophy of the European project.
The Guardian reports that talks between the British prime minister, Theresa May, and her French and German counterparts last week had led to a plan being drawn up under which the United Kingdom, once it leaves Europe, would keep this emergency brake option for up to seven years.
A diplomatic source from a big member state said there weren't any talks about an emergency brake and the EU27's statements made it very clear that the four freedoms come as a package.
Leader of the ALDE group at the EP Guy Verhofstadt of Belgium reacted by saying that the EP would never let such a deal go through “A deal with these conditions would be unthinkable. It would allow the UK to expand its already very favourable position: keeping the best parts and ridding itself of the obligations that come with it. EU Governments would be mad to agree to such a deal.” (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)