European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič again called on the United Kingdom to speed up the implementation of the withdrawal agreement and its protocol on Northern Ireland on Monday 28 September, so that it may enter into force on 1 January 2021.
The European official, after another face-to-face meeting with his British counterpart, Michael Gove, in the framework of the Joint Committee, also confirmed that the controversy on the British Internal Market Bill was not over.
Indeed, the United Kingdom still has no intention of withdrawing the most controversial parts of the text violating the Northern Ireland Protocol. Michael Gove has given “no indication” of this.
Acknowledging that the ultimatum given to the UK Government on 30 September (see EUROPE 12557/17) to withdraw the disputed provisions would expire without significant changes, he reiterated that the Commission remained ready to use “all the tools at its disposal” by the Joint Committee, including legal remedies.
He also reiterated his view that revisiting these contentious provisions, which “would seriously violate” this international agreement, if definitively validated, would “fully restore confidence”.
Mr Šefčovič has in any case swept aside the idea of stopping any discussion about the future relationship once this ultimatum has expired. “It is certainly not the EU that is going to stop discussions” on the future economic and trade relationship, about which, moreover, “positive things” could happen at the end of the new round of talks starting on Tuesday 29 September in Brussels.
In the meantime, the Vice-President urged London to speed up preparations for 1 January, citing in particular progress to be made on plant health standards for Northern Ireland or on citizens’ rights. “There is very little time left” to fully implement the protocol, he said.
The European official expressed the Commission’s concern about a possible difference in the treatment of European citizens awaiting confirmation of long-term resident status. The British registration system would result in the creation of two categories of European nationals, one of whom would have more difficulty in asserting their rights (social, health, etc.). The two leaders will meet again in early October.
EU and UK government negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost will resume discussions on Tuesday on the free trade agreement and other issues such as energy. Last week, according to several media reports, Mr Barnier had suggested that an agreement was still possible and had expressed a little more optimism following informal discussions with Mr Frost. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)