The European Parliament is ready to endorse the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) concluded in December 2020 between the European Union and the United Kingdom, which entered into force provisionally on 1 January 2021. But its agreement will not be a “carte blanche” nor a “blank cheque”.
It is with this in mind—positive on the trade and cooperation agreement, but vigilant as to the actions of the British partner, notably on the British withdrawal agreement validated in 2019—that MEPs began their consent vote on Tuesday 27 April on this vast agreement on trade, fisheries and security cooperation (see EUROPE 12632/1).
The result of the vote will not be made public until Wednesday morning, but the suspense remained not overly abundant on Tuesday, as the European Parliament was expected to largely approve the agreement.
The agreement had the merit of mitigating the effects of Brexit and “avoiding the worst”, said Christophe Hansen (EPP, Luxembourg), co-rapporteur for the Committee on International Trade. “I will recommend voting for it, but there must be no assumption that it constitutes a blank cheque or blind trust in the good faith implementation of this agreement”, he warned.
Referring to the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which has been the focus of concern since the beginning of the year, the Luxembourger called on the United Kingdom to “respect the signed commitment” rather than “take the provisions [of this agreement] lightly”.
Like many of his colleagues, Mr Hansen considered that the trade and cooperation agreement, with its arbitration mechanisms and corrective measures (setting quotas or tariffs), gave the EU new tools “to hold to account” any failing observed. He also called on the Commission to use these instruments, if necessary, while hoping “not to reach that point”.
After some hesitation about holding the vote, EPP group leader Manfred Weber also recommended that Parliament give its consent to the agreement. He also asked the Commission to use the tools to exert pressure on London. Judging that there were only losers as a result of Brexit, “especially among students, with the loss of Erasmus”, the German also felt that the links between the two blocs would inevitably grow closer with time, “with a new government” and “future generations” more convinced of the need for a “united Europe”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said that the bilateral agreement, which “protects the EU’s interests and the integrity of the single market”, will be “able to bare its teeth” if problems arise. Hence the importance that Parliament ratify it, she said.
“We have no wish to trigger this mechanism, but we will be ready to do so if necessary”, she asserted. Ms von der Leyen also shared the view of many elected representatives for whom “this agreement will only be as good as it is in practice”. “I share your concerns about unilateral actions” recently decided by London, she added, in this case on the Northern Ireland Protocol (see EUROPE 12678/1).
Progress on the Northern Ireland Protocol
On Northern Ireland and the ongoing discussions between UK representative Michael Gove and EU representative Maroš Šefčovič, the Commission President noted that the atmosphere was now more “constructive”.
Pragmatic solutions are possible and progress has been made on this protocol, with a new constructive momentum in recent days and weeks, she stated with confidence (see EUROPE 12700/14). Both parties have agreed to agree on a concrete timetable.
Faced with elected representatives worried about not being informed of all the developments, Ms von der Leyen tried to reassure them, promising to keep Parliament closely involved and to involve it at every important stage of these agreements.
Brexit remains a failure for the EU, says Michel Barnier
The EU’s former chief negotiator for future relations with the UK, Michel Barnier, came to the Chamber for the occasion. He was given a standing ovation by MEPs and said that the process of Brexit remained “a failure” from which EU politicians must learn. He also considered that the British withdrawal should be taken as a “warning”, underlining that the British anger, which may have motivated the ‘leave’ vote in the referendum on continued EU membership on 23 June 2016, “also exists in other parts of the EU”.
On Northern Ireland, he also called on all those involved to “assume their responsibilities” and respect the signed terms of the withdrawal agreement.
The chair of the S&D group, Iratxe García Pérez (Spain), said that the EU “will survive Brexit, but by deepening its integration”, although “the loss of a significant member is no cause for celebration”. “We must stand together to fight the pandemic”, she hammered home.
See the European Parliament recommendation approving the EU-UK post-Brexit agreement: https://bit.ly/3aM38Lg (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)