The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, will receive the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, on Wednesday afternoon, 21 November, confirmed on Tuesday the institution's spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas. It will not be a "dinner", he said.
The idea of this meeting had been raised over the weekend and, on the European side, it was hoped that it would only take place once work on the future relationship was considered sufficiently advanced. It will be used to "prepare" the November 25 summit, which will bring together the Twenty-Seven, and ensure that "we are in a position to approve the withdrawal agreement and the declaration on the future relation”, the spokesperson added.
Margaritis Schinas also referred to the new Spanish threats of blocking the agreement and the future relationship if Madrid does not obtain all the necessary guarantees for Gibraltar.
He assured that negotiators were working in the spirit of the European Council's guidelines, namely that anything decided on Gibraltar between the EU and the United Kingdom must have the agreement of the Kingdom of Spain.
According to the Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Borrell, on Monday (see EUROPE 12140), the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, threatened on Tuesday to block the agreement on Sunday 25, if things on Gibraltar are not clarified. Madrid wants to be able to control any developments that will affect the territory of Gibraltar and claims that recent talks between European and British negotiators have weakened its right of scrutiny. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)