On Friday 29 June, the EU27 reiterated their “concern” about the lack of progress made in talks leading to Brexit on the Irish issue, in conclusions adopted on Friday 29 June at lightening speed.
European leaders stressed the fact that the European Union was to prepare for all possible scenarios, including that of no deal.
According to European Council President Donald Tusk, the summit was the “last call” made to London to notch up progress in talks if the United Kingdom wants a comprehensive agreement on its withdrawal from the EU by October, including the post-Brexit transition period.
Although the EU27 note progress made on the exit agreement, they underline that “other important aspects must still be agreed on”, in particular “territorial application of the exit agreement, mainly with regards Gibraltar”. This last reference was added at the request of Madrid.
On the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the situation is still as uncertain as ever. The European Council “states it is concerned by the fact that no substantial progress has yet been made” to finalise this famous “backstop” requested by Dublin and the EU26.
The European Council points out in this respect the commitments taken by the United Kingdom “in December 2017 and March 2018”, in the joint draft exit agreement and the conclusions of the European summit respectively (see EUROPE 11988). It “underlines the need to step up efforts so that the exit agreement, including provisions relating to transition, may be concluded as soon as possible in order to take effect at the date of withdrawal”.
Pending a British vision on future relations with the EU
The EU27 confirmed that they were waiting for a clear political statement from Theresa May’s government “on the framework of future relations” with the European Union. This requires “more clarity as well as concrete proposals from the United Kingdom”, they stress.
Theresa May, for her part, confirmed on Thursday evening that she planned to publish a White Paper on 9 July. “And I want to see negotiations speed up and intensify after that”, she said as she left the meeting on Friday morning (see EUROPE 12051).
“We are ready to step up and speed up the rate of negotiations and I trust this will also be the case for the European Commission and the European Union”, she added, in particular on the framework of future security relations with the EU.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar confirmed this lack of progress on the Irish question while continuing to commend the “strong unity of the EU27” on this subject and the work of the EU27 to counter any attempts at dealing with the issue bilaterally in order to weaken the European negotiating position. “We shall resist” any attempt of this kind, he promised.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said: “I am not making any speculation at this stage on the possibility of a deal. I want us to be able to find one but this depends on the work that Theresa May is doing and the progress being made by these discussions with her partners”. He went on to add: “We are attached to some simple principles: there is no partial agreement; the four freedoms are inseparable and European jurisdiction must continue to prevail. It is clear that European solidarity will be total on the subject of the Irish border. We have already affirmed this”.
The British “give the impression of negotiating more with the British than with the EU”, commented Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. “Let us remain focused on the mandate of Michel Barnier in order to have clarity. We know what points are still difficult: the British red lines incompatible with the fundamental points of this negotiation”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic and the editorial staff).