On Monday 25 January, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, reiterated the EU's displeasure at London's refusal to grant the same diplomatic status to the members of the EU delegation in London as to national diplomats.
This refusal was discussed by foreign ministers at a lunch on the future of diplomatic relations between the EU and the United Kingdom, despite the fact that the two blocs have not agreed on bilateral cooperation in foreign and security policy.
There is a “unity among Member States to recognise that this is not a friendly signal, this first signal that the UK is sending us after leaving the EU. If it continues like this, it does not give good prospects”, commented the High Representative at the end of the meeting.
“We will do everything we can to find a satisfactory solution, but we would not accept the United Kingdom being the only country in the world that does not recognise the EU delegation as a diplomatic mission”, he added. “We expect the United Kingdom to treat the EU delegation accordingly and without delay”.
Last week, Mr Borrell had expressed the EU's dissatisfaction with this issue to the British government (see EUROPE 12641/19). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)