Key Brexit issues unresolved ahead of summit
‘Intense’ Brexit negotiations this weekend did not resolve remaining difficulties, notably over the solution for the Northern Irish border, said EU negotiator Michel Barnier – increasing the chances of a no-deal scenario.
It had been hoped that a decisive breakthrough might be obtained this weekend so a positive announcement could be made today ahead of the important EU leaders’ summit on Thursday and Friday.
That did not happen and according to the Guardian the EU leaders are considering the possibility that an extra EU summit that has been pencilled in for mid-November will turn into one about planning for no-deal rather than, as had been hoped, a last-ditch chance to finalise a deal.
Despite lobbying by campaigners from the British in Europe coalition, the3million group for EU citizens in the UK and some MEPs, there has been no ‘ring-fencing’ of the expatriate rights negotiated in the deal, meaning they would all fall through in the event of a no-deal (requiring emergency measures by France and the UK).
EU sources had previously told journalists that having another summit in November would depend on whether or not there was significant progress to report this week leaving just a few loose ends to tie up, however Mr Barnier said in a tweet that ‘some key issues are still open, including the backstop for IE/NI to avoid a hard border’.
It comes as Arlene Foster, the leader of the Northern Irish DUP party which shores up Theresa May’s minority government, had a ‘hostile and difficult’ meeting with Mr Barnier, according to internal government emails leaked to the Observer, and reportedly said she now thought no-deal the ‘likeliest outcome’.
The DUP is opposed to a compromise plan for the Northern Irish border that could keep the province in a customs union with the EU, as are a number of Conservative Brexiters, especially if it should be left open indefinitely as opposed to being for a time-limited period.
The ‘backstop’ refers to agreeing to treat Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK in the event that no new solutions, such as using technology to avoid a ‘hard border’ with customs checks, have been arrived at by the end of the planned transition period at the end of 2020 (with no-deal there would be no transition period).
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Mrs May is set to meet with Mr Barnier on Wednesday, ahead of the summit. Another crunch point is expected to be a cabinet meeting tomorrow, at which ministers will be asked to give their support to Mrs May.
