The European Parliament confirmed at its plenary session on Thursday 18 June that it will not give its consent to a future agreement with the United Kingdom at any price; it will only give its consent if both parties agree on a balanced relationship that is solid from the point of view of respect for a level playing field and that includes a fisheries agreement.
Parliament adopted its position by 572 votes to 34, with 91 abstentions. In essence, it said that “tangible progress is needed” and that it rejects any “à la carte approach” from the UK, summed up the head of the EU/UK delegation to the European Parliament and chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, David McAllister (EPP, Germany), at a press conference. At his side, Committee on International Trade chair Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany), said that, given the EU’s initial offers (a broad agreement without quotas or tariffs), reaching “CETA-like agreement would be a bad deal”.
Both men also recalled that the implementation of the withdrawal agreement was a priority and that, although “we hope for the best”, we must continue to prepare for the “no deal”, stressed the EPP member.
MEPs had debated the outline of the agreement in plenary the day before, overwhelmingly deploring the lack of progress so far in the negotiations and renewing their confidence in EU negotiator Michel Barnier.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also came before the MEPs. During her speech, she assured the elected representatives that the Commission intended to do “its best” and “in a good spirit”, but “we are not ready to question the principles of our Union”, she told them.
She reiterated the EU’s position on a series of issues such as environmental rules, where we must always move “upwards”, or fisheries, where the UK’s sovereignty over its waters “is beyond doubt”, but “we need predictability, guarantees for our fishermen who have been fishing in these waters for decades”.
And it is “clear that there will be no global agreement without an agreement on fisheries” and without an agreement on governance, which is not “a matter for bureaucrats” but an essential protection for citizens.
While the President indicated that “no one can say for certain what the outcome of the negotiations will be, I am confident that we will have done everything in our power” to ensure a good start for the non-Member State that the United Kingdom will become on 1 January 2021.
Following the MEPs’ debate, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, returned for his part to the high-level meeting on 15 June (see EUROPE 12506/6) which noted the intensification of the talks.
“I share Boris Johnson’s sense of urgency”, the negotiator confided, but what matters to the EU “is a breakthrough on substance”.
He stressed that the terms of an agreement are known and have been negotiated and drafted in the political declaration, a mutual commitment that is not open to negotiation. “We can clearly see the strategy of the British government now”, which has “already refused any discussion on foreign affairs and defence” and remains “focused solely on its economic interests”, said Mr Barnier. As for the EU, it wants “for conditions for access to our market to be fair”, he insisted.
The United Kingdom is in fact seeking a status “very close to membership and participation in the single market”, but “without any constraints”. London also wants to be able to move away from “regulatory competition”, Mr Barnier said.
“On PGI [protected geographical indications], London even wanted to reopen the issue”, he added.
Nevertheless, Mr Barnier reiterated his conviction that an agreement remains possible, even if it will be “difficult”, but “not at any price”, he said, echoing Parliament. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)