In Strasbourg on Wednesday 14 March, the European Parliament adopted, by a large majority (544 to 110 and 51 abstentions), a resolution calling on the EU27 to seal an association agreement with the United Kingdom based on four pillars: - economic and trade relations via a free trade agreement; - internal security; - cooperation in the field of foreign affairs and defence; - and thematic cooperation, for example on cross-border research and innovation projects (see EUROPE 11979).
The resolution prepared by the European Parliament steering group on Brexit underlines the unique nature of the “European Union ecosystem, with its common binding rules, its common institutions, as well as its common mechanisms of control, execution and arbitration”. Even closely aligned third countries with identical legislation will thus never be able to benefit from the same rights, advantages or market access as enjoyed by EU member states, it adds.
MEPs say that any future framework for EU-United Kingdom relations should respect the integrity of the internal market, customs union and the four freedoms, without allowing a sectoral approach (à la carte choice of European legislation). It should also safeguard the independent decision-making process and the legal order of the EU, including the role of the Court of Justice.
Amendments were made to some parts of the text including on fiscal dumping and the maritime territories of the United Kingdom equated to tax havens, the Greens/EFA Group was pleased to state.
The previous day during a debate attended by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany) had recommended preventing the United Kingdom from having access to whole sectors of the single market without having to uphold the obligations of a member state. “For that, a contribution must be paid (Ed: to the budget of the EU)”, he said. Roberto Gualtieri (S&D, Italy) had, for his part, stressed that London must uphold the rights of European citizens on continued application of EU law during the post-Brexit transition period and on the absence of discrimination between Europeans who arrived before 29 March 2019, the scheduled date for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, as well as during the transition period.
For the future, Gualtieri underlined that the EU would be willing to discuss with London if the British want to remain in the customs union or the single market. However, he pointed out that, once it has become a third country, the United Kingdom cannot hope for the abolition of all barriers in the trade of goods, just as the EU cannot delegate to the United Kingdom the management of its customs, as Prime Minister Theresa May had suggested on 2 March.
On Tuesday 20 March during the General Affairs Council (Article 50), the European affairs ministers of the EU27 will discuss the draft guidelines on future relations presented on 7 March by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk (see EUROPE 11976). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)