European Union threatens London with prosecution

The emerging crisis between Britain and the European Union is wavering in place, in light of London’s insistence on going ahead with controversial legislation that would cancel its Brexit treaty. The British insistence crystallized yesterday, by rejecting a deadline granted by the European Commission to the United Kingdom, to withdraw the bill that reconsiders some of the latter’s commitments regarding “Brexit” and “seriously damages mutual trust”, in words of the Commission, which confirmed that the Union “will not hesitate”. Go to court. The Commission said in a statement that through the bill it introduced on Wednesday, “the UK has seriously damaged trust” with the union, adding that “it is now up to the British government to restore that trust.” However, British Minister of State Michael Gove informed European Commission Vice President Marus Sivkovic during emergency talks in London that his government “will not and cannot” do what he asked.

The European warning to Britain comes after a meeting in London that was urgently called by the European Union between Gove and Sevkovic, with the aim of obtaining clarification on the text of the British bill. The Federation considers that the entry into force of this text would constitute a “very serious violation of the exit agreement”, concluded last January, especially with regard to the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which aims to prevent a return to establishment of borders on the island. The European statement mentioned that Sivkovic said “in very clear terms” to his British counterpart, “The full and timely implementation of the withdrawal agreement, including the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol (…) is a legal obligation”, and asked the British government to withdraw the legitimate measures. Act as soon as possible, and in all cases before the end of the month “, stating that the Union” will not hesitate “to use the legal remedies stipulated in the withdrawal agreement, in view of the British bill.
In turn, the chief negotiator of the European Union, Michel Barnier, warned that “there are still great differences” in trade talks with the United Kingdom, but said that the bloc is committed to reaching an agreement, despite the great disagreement on the “Brexit”. Barnier warned, in a statement, that “no one should underestimate the practical, economic and social consequences of the no-deal scenario.”
According to an internal document, the European Union can “initiate proceedings for violating the provisions related to the Protocol” in the Court of Justice of the European Union, which can amount to the imposition of “a lump sum or a fine”. Likewise, the federation can “use the dispute resolution mechanism stipulated in the withdrawal agreement”, which provides for the establishment of an “arbitration body” empowered to impose “economic sanctions”.

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