Addressing MEPs on Wednesday 18 April during a debate on the last European summit on 22 and 23 March, European Council President Donald Tusk said there could be no final deal with the United Kingdom on transition without there being a solution to the Irish issue.
Underlining the need to avoid a physical border between the two Irelands, the Polish Council president explained: “The United Kingdom’s decision on Brexit has caused the problem and the United Kingdom should help to resolve it”. Without a solution “there will be no agreement for withdrawal or for transition”, Tusk stressed, going on to reiterate that the EU27 would take the matter up again in June.
Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May was to face a vote by the House of Lords on Wednesday afternoon concerning future UK/EU relations. The Lords was likely to vote in favour of keeping the United Kingdom in the customs union. Certain members of May’s party also wanted amendments along these lines. Remaining in the customs union and in the single market is the solution proposed by the EU to settle the Irish issue. It is the alternative track that is retained at this stage in negotiations, unless a better proposal is received from London. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)