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The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom decided today to “intensify contacts at all levels” to ensure the full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement before the end of the year, expressing “political will” to “close the gaps” that exist.
The technical teams of the EU and the United Kingdom met today in London, within the framework of the so-called Joint Committee, to evaluate the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, following the withdrawal of the British bloc from the Union at the end of January.
With the EU represented at the meeting by the vice-president of the European Commission with the portfolio of Interinstitutional Relations, Maroš Šefčovič, the community executive said in a statement that, “given the limited time remaining before the end of the transition period”, this official “stressed the need to concentrate all the efforts of both parties to fill the existing implementation gaps and obtain results, so that the Withdrawal Agreement is fully operational as of January 1, 2021.”
At a meeting in which the British government was represented by the Minister of the Council of Ministers, Michael Gove, it was “agreed that contacts at all levels will be significantly intensified,” according to the Brussels press release.
“Vice President Šefčovič welcomed the clear political direction and commitment of Michael Gove today […] so that the EU and the UK can reach mutually agreed solutions on all outstanding issues on the table, in particular regarding the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, ”said the European Commission.
The institution concludes that “both teams received clear political guidance at today’s meeting to function constructively and make real progress toward our mutually agreed solutions.”
However, no reference is made to the infringement process opened by the European Commission earlier this month due to a controversial British bill that partially nullifies the UK’s Withdrawal Agreement from the EU.
This is the UK’s internal market bill, designed to replace European rules with rules for trade between different regions (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) after leaving the EU.
To go into effect, such legislation would give the British executive powers to ignore the clauses in the Withdrawal Agreement.
Understanding that the UK could violate its obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement and international law, the European Commission proceeded with the legal process, giving the British government one month to respond, a deadline that ends in the meantime.
In the statement released today on the meeting of the technical teams, it is only mentioned that the “political will to advance at a good pace on both sides, […] which is necessary as, despite some progress, there is still a lot of work to be done for the UK, in particular with regard to the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland in its entirety from 1 January 2021 ” .
However, this week, high-level negotiations (with lead negotiators from both sides) are expected to resume for a future post-Brexit trade deal.
Mid-October is considered the deadline to reach an understanding, otherwise the absence of an agreement will lead to customs duties on trade between the United Kingdom and the European bloc from January 1, 2021.
The UK officially left the EU on January 31, but continues to apply the rules of the European bloc until December 31.
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