EU Ready to Give Britain More Guarantees 'Backstop' is Temporary
The European Union is ready to give Britain more guarantees that the Irish “backstop” is only intended to be temporary, the bloc’s chief Brexit negotiator said on Friday, Reuters reports.
“We know that there are misgivings in Britain that the backstop could keep Britain forever connected to the EU,” Michel Barnier said in an interview with Germany’s Die Welt newspaper to be published on Saturday.
“This is not the case. And we are ready to give further guarantees, assurances and clarifications that the backstop should only be temporary.”
The backstop, an arrangement designed to prevent the return of “hard” border infrastructure between EU member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland if there is no trade deal after Brexit that makes it unnecessary, has become the main point of contention in the proposed Brexit deal.
“We will not reverse the backstop,” Barnier added. “It’s an insurance. We don’t want to make use of it. And this is also the case when you insure your house. It’s only intended for the worst-case scenario.”
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said last month that the key to securing a Brexit deal that the British government can get through parliament was to define the “temporary” nature of the Irish backstop more precisely.
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- Boris Johnson Tells EU that Free Trade Deal Must be Done by 15 October In that case, Britain would be ready to find sensible accommodation with the bloc on practical issues such as flights, lorry transport or scientific cooperation, according to the excerpts.
- EU Announced Diplomatic Mission In London The EU External Action shortly after the Brexit issued a statement and announced that the EU’s diplomatic mission in London will be carried out by the EU delegation led by Ambassador diplomat Joao Vale...
- UK PM Johnson Plans 'Respectful' Brexit Celebration After three years of wrangling over whether Brexit should go ahead and how best to do it, Johnson has agreed a deal with the EU that will see Britain continue to abide by the bloc’s rules until the end...
- EU Chiefs Sign Brexit Deal ahead of Parliamentary Vote Then, on Thursday next week, diplomats from the EU member states will approve the deal in writing, ensuring Britain’s orderly departure at midnight on January 31.
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