Brussels warning over transition
Europe’s stance contradictory, says Davis in war of words across Channel
Agreement on a transition period to ease Britain’s exit from the EU is “not a given”, Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator warned yesterday.
After the latest round of talks in Brussels, Michel Barnier said three “substantial” disagreements remained over plans for the transition, expected to begin next year.
AGREEMENT ON a transition period to ease Britain’s exit from the EU is “not a given”, Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator warned yesterday.
After the latest round of talks between officials in Brussels, Michel Barnier said that three “substantial” disagreements remained over plans for the transition, expected to last about two years after the date of withdrawal in March 2019.
Declaring himself “surprised” by the UK stance, Mr Barnier said Britain had to accept the “ineluctable consequences” of its own decision to quit the EU.
He said: “To be quite frank, if these disagreements persist, the transition is not a given... Time is short – very short – and we haven’t a minute to lose if we want to succeed.”
But the Brexit Secretary David Davis said there was a “fundamental contradiction” in the approach taken by Mr Barnier and the European Commission to the transition period.
“They acknowledged that a way to resolve disputes and infringements is needed. Yet at the same time they dismissed the UK’s push for reasonable safeguards to ensure our interests are protected. It is not possible to have it both ways,” Mr Davis insisted.
Mr Barnier also warned that checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic would be “unavoidable” under Theresa May’s Brexit proposals.
He confirmed that Brussels was now drawing up a legal definition of the regulatory alignment that must continue between Northern Ireland and the EU in order to avoid the creation of a “hard border”.
London had so far provided no proposals for the kind of technological fix which could get round this, he told a press conference in the Belgian capital.
Mr Barnier’s comments came after the EU’s publication of a “position paper” on the proposed transition deal provoked fury from Mr Davis, who branded the document “discourteous” and “unwise”.
In a sign of how much the atmosphere has soured, Mr Davis accused the EU of not acting “in good faith” over the inclusion of plans for sanctions if the UK fails to keep to the withdrawal agreement.
But Mr Barnier said he could not understand the “uproar” in London over the position paper.
“There is no wish whatsoever to punish,” he said. “We are trying to draft an international agreement on a solid basis that can be effectively implemented.”
He pointedly noted that he had been expecting an update yesterday morning from the UK Government on its vision for the future relationship, but that the meeting had to be cancelled because of “diary difficulties” on the British side.
At his meetings with Mr Davis in London and Brussels this week, it was clear that three “substantial” points of difference remain between the two sides’ visions of how the proposed transition period would work, said Mr Barnier. These included : The UK’s refusal to guarantee permanent rights to EU nationals who come to live and work in Britain during the transition period;
The UK’s demand for a right to object to the application of any new EU rules and laws introduced during the transition period;
Britain’s wish to continue participating in the development of new policies in the area of justice and home affairs during the transition.
Disagreement also remained over references to European Court of Justice jurisdiction in the withdrawal agreement, which Brussels regards as essential for the deal to be “credible and sustainable”, he said.
Mr Barnier said: “To be frank, I am surprised by these disagreements. The positions of the EU are very logical, I think. The UK wants to enjoy the advantages of the single market, the customs union and common policies. It has therefore to accept all the rules and the obligations until the end of the transition. That’s very logical. It also has to accept the ineluctable consequences of its decision to leave the EU, to leave its institutions and its policies.”
The UK Government has called on the EU and more than 100 countries with which it has international deals to treat the UK as if it were a member state so that signed trade and other agreements can continue to function during the transition.
EVEN THOUGH a proposal to levy a council tax surcharge on second homes in the Yorkshire Dales continues to polarise opinion, the divisive debate has helped to bring the future of the iconic National Park into sharp focus.
For, while the natural beauty of the Dales continues to attract visitors from around the world, the picture-postcard scenery masks the fragility of the rural economy and the scale of the challenges facing policymakers.
More than six decades after this cherished corner of North Yorkshire was designated as a National Park, it is fighting for its future as a result of demographic changes.
A combination of an ageing population and property prices beyond the reach of young people who grew up, or are growing up, in the Dales means local services and amenities are struggling to survive.
Yet, as a new framework for the future is drawn up, evolution rather than revolution should be the guiding principle. Change is necessary, and already overdue in many areas, but there’s no reason why new developments can’t respect the area’s unique character.
And, while it is intended that the council tax overhaul will generate much-needed funds for affordable housing, new homes are only part of the solution. Arguably, the number-one priority is the creation of a new generation of jobs, whether it be in agriculture, tourism or the emerging digital sector.
This objective will need to be reflected in new planning policies, but their success, or otherwise, hinges on Ministers accelerating the rollout of high-speed broadband so residents, and visitors, can actually access the internet, for example.
In this regard, Brexit does, in fact, provide a once-in-ageneration opportunity to reform and refine areas like the Dales as Britain takes back control of agricultural policy and subsidy arrangements, but it will still require a collective effort like no other by local, regional and national leaders to enable this iconic park to survive, and thrive, in the decades to come.