“We are more than concerned about the current situation”, commented German State Secretary for European Affairs Michael Roth, on Tuesday 22 September, at the end of a General Affairs EU Council meeting where the ministers reaffirmed their “support” for the EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the European Commission’s representative in the Joint Committee on Northern Ireland, Maroš Šefčovič.
“We are united and we will not be divided”, the minister added, saying the meeting was an opportunity to reiterate “that we stand by Ireland”.
While the negotiator, Michel Barnier, has returned to London to continue informal exchanges with his counterpart, David Frost, on the future relationship, Maroš Šefčovič, for his part, will meet his counterpart, Michael Gove, again on 28 September for a further meeting on the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The Protocol contained in the Withdrawal Agreement on an Orderly Brexit is being called into question in the new UK draft on the internal market. That this is in question is “unacceptable”, the official said, adding that the EU would never agree to any backtracking on the withdrawal agreement.
The meeting on 28 September will be an opportunity to discuss this and, Maroš Šefčovič hopes, to find common ground. “We will discuss, but in no way renegotiate the withdrawal agreement”, he had already warned, hoping that both parties can return to the “spirit” of the withdrawal agreement. “We’re going to stay calm, stay in touch”, continued the vice president. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)