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In the dispute over a trade deal with Britain, the EU summit in London called for concessions. There the reaction is furious: Prime Minister Johnson threatens a very tough break.
By Stephan Ueberbach, ARD-Studio Brussels
Is the Brexit dispute about to be decided? In any case, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is demanding clear concessions from the EU so that talks on a trade deal can continue; otherwise, according to London, they are willing to take a tough cut. A tactical maneuver to create new pressure?
Obviously, the Johnson administration was upset by the resolution of the night’s summit. The 27 EU states, for their part, are asking Great Britain to take the necessary measures to make an agreement possible. Or, as Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte puts it: “To make a breakthrough, we finally need a movement from the British side.”
No deal at any price
In plain English: if the British side sticks to their position, the target trade deal won’t work. The result would be a tough economic break. With tariffs, import quotas, and traffic jams at ports, even if no one really wants that.
However, there should be no agreement on any price. Each side has to move, says Chancellor Angela Merkel. And: the EU is ready to continue negotiating. French President Emmanuel Macron said that it should always be kept in mind that Britain wanted to leave the EU and that a deal was more urgent than the Union.
More cooperation in the fight against Corona
Summit participants experienced up close that the Covid 19 situation is becoming increasingly dramatic. Strict rules of distance, regular disinfection, and extra supply of fresh air – the security precautions in the council building were enormous. Because they had contact with people who may be infected with corona, Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin left early. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell were not there as a precaution.
The situation is taken very seriously, says the President of the EU Council, Charles Michel. That is why it was agreed to further expand cooperation across the EU, including testing procedures, quarantine rules and monitoring of infection chains.
Decision on climate targets postponed
The summit postponed the decision on new climate targets. Several countries, including Germany, France, Spain and the Scandinavian countries, want to reduce their greenhouse gases by at least 55 percent by 2030, as proposed by the EU Commission. The resistance comes from coal-mining countries like Poland and the Czech Republic. They fear for their energy supply and they worry about businesses and jobs.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, on the other hand, points out the opportunities. “Some states say we have to be careful to stay competitive. Yes, in the short term it is also about that, but in the long term we talk about technology and how Europe can take the lead.”
In the coming weeks, environment ministers will negotiate which climate target the EU will set for 2030. The German Council Presidency expects a decision to be reached this year. The next summit of heads of state and government is scheduled for mid-December. Possibly again as video conferencing if the crown situation doesn’t relax by then.
