Brexit progress only possible if Irish border issue is solved
EU hands 10-day deadline to Prime Minister before it agrees to begin talks with the UK over a trade deal
THERESA MAY has 10 days to resolve the issue of the Irish border if she wants to make a Brexit breakthrough at a key summit next month, Donald Tusk warned yesterday.
The Prime Minister met Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, in Brussels as she signalled she is prepared to give ground on the Brexit divorce bill if the EU commits to trade talks.
Mr Tusk said that a breakthrough at the European Council summit on Dec 14 is possible but will still be a “huge challenge”. He added that progress must be made “on all issues, including on Ireland”.
British officials believe that the EU is likely to concede that “sufficient progress” has been made on citizens’ rights and the Brexit divorce bill, making the Irish border the biggest outstanding issue.
Ireland yesterday threatened to block talks on the future relationship between the EU and the UK unless it was given “credible answers and a credible road map” to ensure there was no hard border.
Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister, yesterday received assurances from Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief Brexit negotiator, and Mr Tusk after meeting them in Brussels.
Mr Coveney said: “The truth is that if we see regulatory divergence between
‘The EU cannot expect the UK to give into its demands. The integrity of the UK is not up for negotiation’
the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland it is very hard to see in that scenario how you avoid hard border checks.
“I hope and expect that we can get that by December so that we can all move on. If we can’t, then I think there is going to be a difficulty coming up.”
However, the Prime Minister has repeatedly made clear that the UK, including Northern Ireland, will leave the Single Market and the Customs Union after Brexit.
She said yesterday: “We [the UK and the Republic] have the same desire. We want to ensure the free movement of people and trade across the border can carry on as now.”
Tory Eurosceptics have warned the Prime Minister that she must not give any more ground.
Jacob Rees-mogg, a Eurosceptic MP, said: “The EU cannot expect the UK to continue to give into its absurd demands. The integrity of the United Kingdom is not up for negotiation.”
The issue is further complicated by the prospect of a snap election in Ireland which could derail Mrs May’s hopes of a breakthrough at the December summit.
Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s prime minister, has backed his beleaguered deputy in a scandal that could topple his minority government at a crucial point in UK-EU discussions.
Frances Fitzgerald, the Fine Gael Tanaiste, is resisting growing opposition party calls to quit over a controversy involving a bid to discredit a Garda whistleblower.
Fianna Fail, which has a confidence and supply deal with Fine Gael, has said it will table a no-confidence vote against her next week – a move which could force a snap election.
Mr Coveney said: “Ireland does not need an election right now. We do not believe the country needs that in the context of some of the enormous decisions that will be taken on Ireland’s fu- ture in the context of our relationship with Britain at a summit in three weeks’ time.”
It came as Boyko Borissov, the prime minister of Bulgaria, broke ranks with the remaining 27 member states and predicted that Britain was heading for a hard Brexit. Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, accused the European Union of behaving like a “gang” during negotiations by trying to punish Britain for Brexit.
During their hour-long meeting, Mr Tusk set Mrs May an “absolute deadline” of Dec 4 for resolving the Ireland issue, when the Prime Minister travels to Brussels for dinner with Jean Claude-juncker, the President of the European Commission.