EU: Stick to our rules or we’ll ground UK aircraft

BRITISH passenger jets could be grounded if the UK breaks EU rules during the Brexit transition, Brussels warned last night.

The european Commission is threatening to impose penalties on the UK if it bends the EU rulebook during a transition period likely to last until 2021.

Leaked documents seen by the Mail suggest the EU wants to insert what critics called a ‘punishment clause’ into the transition deal that would allow it to exclude British firms from access to the single market.

Punishments could include banning British airlines from operating across the continent or preventing City firms from working in EU countries.

Ministers are expected to accept the jurisdiction of the european Court of Justice (ECJ) during the transition period.

But Brussels is now demanding additional extra-judicial powers to punish the UK, amid concerns that legal action through the ECJ may take too long.

The move underlines eurosceptic concerns about Britain’s rights during a twoyear transition designed to smooth the path out of the EU after March 2019.

Prominent eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has warned Britain risks becoming a ‘vassal state’ during the transition period, last night described the proposals as ‘unacceptable’. He said the proposal appears to breach the EU’s own rules, adding: ‘The UK cannot accept the jurisdiction of the ECJ if the EU will not.’

The european Commission’s hardline approach emerged as Theresa May’s Brexit cabinet prepared for two days of private talks on the relationship with the EU.

Whitehall sources last night played down the prospect of the Cabinet reaching a final agreement on the issue this week, with Mrs May already considering holding a further meeting the following fortnight.

One Cabinet source said the Government’s priority is ensuring that a deal on the transition is agreed by the end of March to meet the demands of business.

Ministers are seeking an ‘implementation period’ of ‘about two years’ after Britain leaves the EU in March next year.

During this period, Britain will continue paying into the EU budget and will be expected to follow all existing EU rules.

Yesterday it emerged that the UK could have to accept nearly 40 EU directives due to come into force in the transition period.

Leaked Whitehall analysis revealed Britain may have to adopt measures, including regulations requiring every home to have four different recycling bins.

Downing Street played down the threat, saying the UK would have the opportunity to shape all these regulations before it left.

But Mr Rees-Mogg urged ministers to rule out accepting new EU laws after Brexit: ‘The chance for a vengeful EU to cause regulatory damage to us may be too great for them to resist. ‘The Government needs to be strong in refusing to accept new laws once we have left,’ he added.

Brussels sources say there are fears the UK may not stick to the terms of a transition agreement, for example by restricting the rights of EU citizens arriving after 2019.

The leaked document says the EU wants to have the power to ‘suspend certain benefits… of the internal market’ for UK firms if it decides punishment is necessary.

The UK would have no legal recourse to prevent the punishment.

The document also suggests Brussels is gearing up for a fight over the future of the fishing industry during the transition talks.

environment Secretary Michael Gove wants to take back control of Britain’s historic fishing waters as soon as we leave next year. The document states that the UK will merely be ‘consulted’ on fishing in UK waters during the transition – suggesting the EU wants the current quota regime to remain in place.

Another section outlines how the UK will be expected to pay for the elite european schools often attended by diplomats’ children until 2020.

‘We must refuse to accept new laws’