The convening of an additional special summit to seal a possible agreement with London on the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union is a "competence” of the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, on the recommendation of the EU's Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, indicating that "sufficient progress" has been made, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said on Monday 5 November.
The latter was responding to reports in the British press over the weekend that British Prime Minister Theresa May had reached an agreement with the Twenty-Seven on the issue of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. This agreement could be formalized at a summit set around 21 November.
But, for the Commission's spokesman, "we are not there yet". No political meeting is planned at this stage between Michel Barnier and his British counterpart, Dominic Raab.
According to the Sunday Times, the United Kingdom, under this agreement, would remain in a temporary customs union with the EU to avoid a border on the island of Ireland [an option already under discussion at the time of the 17 October Summit, editor's note - see EUROPE 12119 and 12120] and the EU had obtained from the British leader that she would agree to register a customs union for "the whole of the UK” in the divorce agreement.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, and Theresa May, whose office described the information as "speculative" according to AFP, spoke on the phone on Monday morning.
In particular, the Irish Government has indicated that it is not acceptable on the basis that London should be able to withdraw unilaterally from this temporary customs union. While he said he was open to the possibility of a revision over time of this so-called "backstop" solution, this does not mean, however, that London can decide to terminate it without conditions.
This security solution must apply 'until' or 'unless' a better alternative is found, as is laid down in the tentative draft settlement on the British withdrawal accepted by Mrs May in December 2017 and last March. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)