Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EU PEACE OFFER What she said... what she means
Access to one another’s markets should continue on same terms
also called for a “bold new strategic agreement” with a treaty on security and vowed that the UK would honour its commitments under the existing budget period – which lasts until 2020.
On trade, she said the two sides could do “so much better” than adopt existing models and there was “no need to impose tariffs where there are none now”.
The PM made her address to a largely British audience. Boris Johnson was on the front row with Chancellor Philip Hammond, Brexit Secretary David Davis, and members of the Italian business community. But no leaders of the 27 other EU states were present.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was busy on the campaign trail ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
EU negotiator Mr Barnier, who also did not attend, said the PM “expressed a constructive spirit which is also the spirit of the EU during this unique negotiation – the speech shows a willingness to move forward, as time is of the essence”.
But he pointed out that while her statements on EU citizens were “a step forward”, they “must now be translated into a precise negotiating position of the UK government”.
And he said he would need to examine the “concrete implications” of her pledge that no member state would have to pay more as a result of Brexit. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the speech suggested Mrs May had listened to his party and “faced up to the reality that Britain needs a transition on the same basic terms to provide stability for businesses and workers”.
He added: “There has to be a transition period to protect jobs. Our whole point throughout this whole process has been a Brexit that damages employment and jobs is very, very dangerous for everybody in this country.”
The speech was welcomed by pro-eu Tory MPS Ken Clarke and Anna Soubry. But pro-brexit Owen Paterson said he was concerned about a two-year period during which “we are still bound in by European rules”.
Scotland’s pro-eu Brexit Minister Michael Russell described the speech as “short on detail”.
And anti-brexit peer Peter Mandelson said: “Pushing the cliffedge back by two years is no substitute for a well-thought-through negotiating strategy.”
The pound dropped against the US dollar and the euro after Mrs May’s speech yesterday.
RESPONDS TO YESTERDAY’S SPEECH IN FLORENCE SPEECH
“During the implementation period access to one another’s markets should continue on current terms.
“The framework for this strictly timelimited period, which can be agreed under Article 50, would be the existing structure of EU rules and regulations. As of today, these considerations point to an implementation period of around two years.”
Mrs May is trying to buy time to arrange a new trading relationship, immigration system and customs structure.
The crucial word here is “around” – we could be staying in the EU until at least 2021 and possibly beyond.
During that time we will pay into the Brussels budget and accept their rules, including new ones. Free movement of people and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice will continue during this time.
This is Brexit delayed.
And remember, a transition deal is in the gift of the EU, not Britain.
“I want to repeat to the 600,000 Italians in the UK – and indeed to all EU citizens who have made their lives in our country – that we want you to stay, we value you, and we thank you for your contribution to our national life. And it has been, and remains, one of my first goals in this negotiation to ensure that you can carry on living your lives as before.”
The rights of EU citizens already living in the EU up to 2019 will be guaranteed in UK law. There will be free movement during transition but new arrivals will have to register.
It is a step forward but may not be enough for Brussels, which wants EU nationals in the UK to be covered by European laws.
“One way of approaching this question is to put forward a stark and unimaginative choice between two models: either something based on European Economic Area membership; or a traditional Free Trade Agreement, such as that the EU has recently negotiated with Canada.
“I don’t believe either of these options would be best for the UK or best for the EU. We can do so much better than this.”
Brexiteers are delighted she has ruled out a Norway model where we have access to the single market but pay into Brussels. But we are no clearer on what sort of trade deal we will get.
“It is vital any agreement reached – its specific terms and the principles on which it is based – are interpreted in the same way by the European Union and UK and we want to discuss how we do that.”
The PM has pledged Britain will no longer be overseen by the European Court of Justice. But there has to be dispute mechanism for trade deals. The ECJ also covers medicines, aviation and security.
Mrs May wants a new form of oversight but has not spelled out how it will work.