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Time is running out: the EU wants to reach an agreement in the Brexit negotiations by Sunday. But the worst is already expected in both London and Brussels: Britain’s exit from the EU without a trade deal is “very, very likely,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. The president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was also pessimistic: “The situation is difficult. The main obstacles still exist,” discouraging hopes of a breakthrough at the last minute.
“New beginning for old friends”
The back and forth in the Brexit dispute should come to an end on Sunday. It will then be decided whether there will be a sufficient basis for a contract on future relationships, von der Leyen said yesterday. However, the positions are still far apart. “Either way, in less than three weeks there will be a new beginning for old friends,” von der Leyen told a news conference. The sticking points have not changed for months: fishing, fair competition, and the question of how agreements are legally enforced in the event of a dispute.
It understands that Britain wants to control its own fishing waters from next year, said the Commission President. Yet at the same time, London must also understand the expectations of the EU fishing fleet that has fished in British waters for decades. It is fair that competitors of EU companies are exposed to the same conditions on the European market as UK companies.
Meanwhile, the EU Commission has proposed two emergency measures “so that the connection in the transport sector is guaranteed for at least six months and that mutual access to water is maintained next year,” von der Leyen said. .
Will the term be extended again?
British Culture and Media Minister Oliver Dowden was only confident yesterday. There is “a significant possibility that we can do this deal,” he told Sky News without elaborating. Just this: “We did almost 90 percent of the way.” A trade agreement is the best solution for both the EU and the UK, but not at any price.
Therefore, some political observers see a possibility that the negotiations will drag on until next week despite the expiration of the deadline.
The British trade association BRC, meanwhile, has warned of a “customs bomb” for supermarkets and consumers if the UK and the EU fail to agree on a trade pact. In this case, tariffs that average more than 20 percent would apply to fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that are imported from the EU. Around 80 per cent of the UK’s food imports currently come from the EU. According to a study by the Food Foundation charity, a British family can expect four percent more costs if the higher fees are passed on directly to consumers.
Customs duties and traffic jams
Britain officially left the EU at the end of January 2020. The transition phase ends on December 31, during which the UK still has to apply EU rules. Then it will also be removed from the EU internal market and from the customs union. Without a contract, there will be significant tariffs and trade barriers after January 1, with sometimes dramatic consequences for the British economy. Observers expect a massive increase in unemployment figures and miles of traffic jams at the border. Data traffic in Europe could also be at risk.
