Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Council agreed, on Wednesday 30 November, on how to implement the withdrawal and trade and cooperation agreements between the EU and the UK if the latter breaches them.
The agreement empowers the European Commission to take unilateral measures to restrict trade and investment and to adopt other remedial or safeguard measures, if the UK reneges on its commitments or fails to cooperate in the settlement of a dispute.
A number of measures could be adopted by the EU if necessary, including: - corrective, rebalancing and compensatory measures in a number of areas; - the temporary suspension of preferential treatment for certain products; - the refusal, revocation, suspension, limitation or restriction of air carrier authorisations or permits and their operation; - measures restricting trade, investment or other activities, says the EU Council.
The text empowers the Commission to adopt these measures by means of an implementing act, indicating their duration, if any. The European Parliament will be informed at every stage.
Seán Kelly (EPP, Irish), co-rapporteur on the Committee on International Trade, welcomed an agreement that gives “the EU greater legal capacity to protect EU rights. Politically, this settlement is a strong statement of the EU’s unity and willingness to take action if the UK breaches any of the agreements, including the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol”.
The Commission proposed this regulation in March (see EUROPE 12909/28, 13040/14). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)