Macron warns UK: You’ll be forced into backstop over fishing
The backstop in Prime Minister Theresa May’s deal is meant to be a last resort. This is in case no agreement is found on the Northern Ireland border by the end of the post-Brexit transition with the EU.
If activated, the measure would keep the UK in the EU’s customs union for what officials insist would be a limited period.
But president Macron suggested the backstop could be used to exert pressure on the British during negotiations about fishing rights due to begin once the country has left the EU.
Speaking in Brussels after Mrs May’s deal was endorsed by the leaders of the 27 nations staying in the EU after Brexit, Mr Macron said: “An agreement assumes that each side promotes its position.
“We as 27 have a clear position on fair competition, on fish, on the subject of the EU’s regulatory autonomy, and that forms part of our lines for the future relationship talks, which is a lever, because it is in our mutual interest to have this future relationship.
“I can’t imagine that the desire of Theresa May or her supporters is to remain for the long term in a customs union but to define a proper future relationship which resolves this problem.”
Mr Macron also declined to say how MPs should vote on the Brexit deal next month.
He added: “I don’t want interfere on the decision.”
Other leaders also admitted that negotiations about territorial DOUBTS were raised yesterday over whether Theresa May can publish plans for a post-Brexit immigration policy in time to win over rebellious MPs next month.
Reports this weekend said the Prime Minister will announce curbs on lowskilled migrants within days – before the Commons votes on her Brexit deal.
Leaked documents suggested giving low-skilled migrants 11-month visas, scrapping the cap on the high-skilled and to fishing rights were likely to be fraught. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that it will “undoubtedly be an area where negotiations are going to be tough”.
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said: “Fishing will be an important subject over the next 18 months.
“France, the Netherlands, Spain and Denmark, we have a allowing some EU migrants aged 18 to 30 to live and work in the UK for two years.
One timetable sees the long-awaited immigration White Paper published next week, well before its previously planned publication in late January.
But it has yet to be signed off by the Cabinet.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has big interest here but also so does the UK to maintain market access to the EU for products coming out of UK waters.
“There’s a common necessity to come to a conclusion.”
Meanwhile, Ross Thomson, Conservative MP for Aberdeen South, who plans to vote against Theresa May’s deal, said the EU position on fisheries was “deeply troubling”.
As leaders endorsed the Brexit deal, a document was published stating a new fisheries agreement was a matter of priority “and should build on, inter alia, existing reciprocal access and quota shares”.
Mr Thomson said it suggested that the EU wanted to maintain the Common Fisheries Policy which has been unpopular with Scotland’s fishermen because of restrictions and shared access.
The Prime Minister said her deal “sets us free of the Common Fisheries Policy for good and forever” but Mr Thomson said the EU was trying to maintain the “damaging” policy.
He said: “That (EU statement) does deeply trouble me.
“The current arrangement is very good for the EU, the arrangement we have on fisheries has been devastating for fishing communities.” reportedly warned the clampdown could hit house-building capacity, while civil servants are said to fear mistakes because the proposals have yet to undergo the usual “stress testing”.
One senior source played down suggestions of a Cabinet battle but added: “In practical terms it seems unlikely the White Paper could be ready in time for the Commons Brexit vote. It would be a real scramble.”