The European Union’s negotiator for future relations with the United Kingdom, Michel Barnier, will present the European Commission’s proposals for negotiating directives on Monday 3 February.
These guidelines or ‘mandate’ will be sent immediately to the Member States for adoption by the General Affairs Council on 25 February, a few days after an extraordinary European Council meeting on the 2021-2021 multiannual financial framework. Only then will the Commission be in a position to start negotiations with London at the very beginning of March.
These initial guidelines will be broad and in line with those adopted by Member States in March 2018 (see EUROPE 11988/4) and brought together in the revised political declaration of October 2019 (see EUROPE 12351/2). They assume that the trade agreement will be as ambitious as possible and will not include any tariffs or import quotas.
The security relationship, including future British access to databases such as the Schengen Information System or Europol, as well as scientific and cultural cooperation will also be part of the guidelines.
According to the British daily The Telegraph, Mr Barnier’ s presentation could take place at the same time as an expected speech by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The British leader might say that his country is prepared to pay customs duties and be subject to certain quotas in order to be able to diverge from EU rules.
After the presentation of this draft, the European Parliament will have 10 days to formulate its opinion on the matter, if it wishes to weigh in on the drafting of the mandate. It will be up to the future enlarged contact group to draw up this position, which should be adopted at the European Parliament plenary session starting on Monday 10 February.
On Thursday 30 January, the EU Council validated by written procedure the text of the agreement allowing for an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union. This follows the consent given for this agreement the day before by Parliament (see EUROPE 12414/1).
The European and British sides had each signed the withdrawal agreement on 24 January.
With the final ratification of this agreement, the United Kingdom will cease to be a member of the EU on 31 January and become a non-Member State again. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Mathieu Bion)