Barnier boost for PM as hopes rise of a trade agreement
Michel Barnier said last night that a trade deal could be done with the UK before the need for a controversial irish backstop.
The eU’s chief negotiator insisted a trade deal could be struck before the end of 2020 due to the ‘distinct starting point’ of Britain having been a bloc member for 41 years.
it could provide a boost for Theresa May, who may struggle to get her exit agreement with the eU through Parliament. Just moments after the Prime Minister spoke in Downing Street, Mr Barnier hailed the ‘decisive’ progress reached between the two sides.
Speaking in Brussels, he said a backstop, which has stalled negotiations, may never need to be used because a deal is ‘possible within this short transition period [which ends in December 2020] because we’ve got the basis’.
he added: ‘This backstop is not meant to be used. Our objective remains to reach a new agreement before the end of the transition.’
Perhaps referring to the recent trade deal struck with canada, which took seven years, he added: ‘The [UK talks] were exceptional, extraordinary negotiations with a country to which we are very close. This is after all an ecosystem, a single market which we have built up with the UK over the last 41 years so we have a very distinct starting point. i don’t think these agreements will need as much time as other trade agreements for countries much further away.’
however, despite the upbeat tone on a trade deal, Mr Barnier went on to suggest the eU would use the withdrawal deal to keep Britain permanently in a customs union.
he suggested that even if the backstop is not used, the terms agreed would form the ‘ basis’ for a trade deal. he also indicated Mrs May will have to grant eU vessels access to British waters in return for tariff free access to the single market. he said the publication of the draft deal was a ‘crucial step’ forward in the talks.
Regarding customs, he said: ‘Our objective is to abolish customs duties and quotas for all goods based on what we’re proposing in the Withdrawal Agreement, a single customs territory. This agreement offers a basis for future negotiations and that is in our common interest.’
This would require the UK to sign up to eU rules on competition, state aid and labour laws and could hinder Britain striking its own trade deals.
Mr Barnier insisted in his speech that he did not feel ‘selfsatisfaction’ or was ‘ smug’ about reaching an agreement because he ‘regrets’ Brexit. Moments after he was speaking, eU commission president Jean-claude Juncker tweeted to say that he would send a letter to eU council chief Donald Tusk recommending that enough ‘decisive progress’ has been made.
it paves the way for a special summit later this month, most likely on November 25, when the deal could be finalised.
News of the deal came on a day when it was revealed that Mr Barnier’s deputy told eU member states that the irish border issue could force Britain into accepting Brussels rules for years to come after Brexit.
Sabine Weyand, the bloc’s deputy chief negotiator, outlined the plan while briefing eU member states on the latest in negotiations last week.
She further briefed ambassadors on the latest talks last night as tensions rose over whether the draft agreement would be published.
Brussels officials from Mr Barnier’s team were seen carrying several cardboard boxes into the meeting containing copies of the draft agreement.
But they left with the boxes unopened after it emerged Brussels was not going to get ‘the green light’ from Downing Street in time last night.
One diplomat said after leaving the meeting: ‘We are still waiting for a signal from london. We will not get to see the text until we get that.
‘The situation is very fragile and every second, every minute, every hour can change.’
Ambassadors from the remaining member states waited in anticipation of being allowed to see the draft text on the fifth floor of the eU council’s europa building. But their gathering broke up after three and a half hours.
however, within an hour, Mrs May had given a statement on the steps of Downing Street confirming that her cabinet had signed off on the deal, paving the way for the document to be distributed to eU ambassadors, who will now meet tomorrow to discuss it. it is then that the November 25 is summit is likely be announced.
last night the eU parliament’s chief Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, said: ‘We welcome the positive progress made. We look forward to being fully apprised of the details of the withdrawal agreement.
‘it is encouraging to see that we are moving towards a fair deal that should ensure an orderly withdrawal.’
‘Backstop is not meant to be used’