Squaring the circle tough for EU and UK: Martin
MICHEAL Martin said it will be difficult for the EU and UK negotiating teams to “square the circle” to reach a post-brexit trade deal.
The Taoiseach said that despite the challenges that have “bedeviled” the talks from the outset, he is “hopeful” something can be achieved.
Talks were extended on Sunday after Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen agreed to continue the process despite major differences still remaining.
The major sticking points of have been on issues of fishing rights and the “level playing field”, as well as the dispute resolution mechanism.
The Taoiseach said both sides are aware of the “enormity and severity” of a no-deal Brexit.
“The fact that they have continued to engage... without understating the enormous challenges that face both sets of negotiators in trying to square the circle around this level playing field and standards,” Mr Martin told RTE Morning Ireland.
He said the mood at l ast week’s EU Council meeting was “downbeat”.
Mr Martin also said the 97%
agreed part of the deal is “very important”.
“A lot has been done and it would be a terrible pity to lose all of that in terms of the normal living that people should rightly expect, citizens of the UK, Ireland and Europe,” he added.
“The circle is going to be difficult to square, but we need to stand back too from the high principle of this and say ‘Britain is a first-world economy, its economy has been integrated with the EU economy for the last 50 years’.
“I am not convinced that there is going to be a significant divergence in standards into the future. That said, people may seek advantage to supporting particular industries and sectors through state aid and that’s got to be dealt with and addressed through an agreement which would allow for a dispute resolution mechanism.”
A new deal will have to be in place by January 1 when the UK’S trading arrangements with the EU draws to an end.
If both sides fail to reach an agreement, tariffs and quotas will apply.
Mr Martin said he had not spoken to Mr Johnson over the weekend, but added it is important that good British and Irish relations continue after Brexit.