[ad_1]
British Prime Minister Johnson wants to continue negotiations with EU Commissioner von der Leyen at dinner today. Neither party is under any illusions, but a small concession should improve the mood.
By Holger Beckmann, ARD-Studio Brussels
The tone is increasingly clear, also on the European side: France will never sacrifice the interests of its fishermen, it was said from Paris, for example, in view of the unresolved conflict over the future fishing rights of European cutters and fishing vessels in British territorial waters.
In economic terms, fishing is more of a fringe aspect of Brexit, but of great symbolic importance on both sides of the English Channel. On the other hand, the question of whether the UK will have unhindered access to the European internal market from next year and, in return, comply with EU rules on environmental protection, workers’ rights and subsidies, has an economic impact. .
If the EU gives in, soon the whole world will want an extra sausage
Many in Brussels fear that Britain can rely on a quiet competitive advantage here if it does not accept these standards, arguing that it is now a sovereign state. But that’s not how it works, according to the Federal Association for Wholesale and Foreign Trade, for example: if the EU gives in here, it will have the next problem with Hungary, Poland or Italy for the foreseeable future if everyone wants an extra sausage in the future.
That is the starting position before Boris Johnson arrives this afternoon for a direct conversation with the head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen: “I hope this will give a positive impetus to the negotiations. In fact, the whole The world knows that we are very far apart and we do not hide it from anyone “, says the Vice President of the EU Commission, Maros Sefkovic, faithful to the principle of hope and patience.
Europe’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier had repeatedly demanded, sworn and now emphasized: More than ever, Brexit is a school of patience, a university even of patience.
Northern Ireland law deactivated: a small concession
Nobody in Brussels is under any illusions, after all, the negotiations were interrupted due to irreconcilable differences between the two parties. It seems highly unlikely that these differences can now be resolved over dinner together.
Rather, both sides could ask their negotiating team to resume talks, to continue negotiating until the last minute. One must remain optimistic, but you really have to say: it seems very difficult right now, Johnson said.
It has at least taken a small step towards the EU and deactivated its Northern Ireland law with the most controversial passage: in this way, the British part of the Irish island can in the future remain part of the European internal market in any case , which also includes the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, a member state of the EU, remains open so that the old conflict in Northern Ireland does not reopen.
This was a condition that the EU has always considered non-negotiable. However, it is more than doubtful that that is enough to change the post-Brexit negotiations.
