Northern Ireland’s politicians are being told to “get back to work” by Boris Johnson, keen to resolve the deadlock over post-Brexit trade.

The prime minister is due to travel to Belfast on Monday for crisis talks after the DUP blocked the election of a Speaker at the Stormont Assembly, preventing it from sitting.

Power sharing in Northern Ireland has been suspended since elections earlier this month.

The system was introduced in the 1990s in an effort to end decades of violence and is a requirement of government in the country. The first minister and deputy first minister must be one unionist, one nationalist.

Government sources said Mr. Johnson will use a series of private meetings to deliver a “tough message” that any “fix” to the post-Brexit trade protocol must involve the parties coming together to form an Executive and Assembly.

He is expected to say that while the UK government will “play its part to ensure political stability”, politicians must “get back to work” so they can deliver on “bread and butter issues” for the voters.

Ahead of his visit, however, Sinn Fein – which is now the biggest party in the Assembly following the elections on 5 May – accused the prime minister of being “in cahoots” with DUP and supporting its “blocking tactics”.

‘Dangerous brinkmanship’

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said: “It is very dangerous, it’s reckless, it’s a game of brinkmanship, very cynically carried out by a Tory government in London that has no care for the island of Ireland, north or south.”

The DUP is bitterly opposed to the protocol as it requires checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, in order to keep the border with Republic open in line with the Good Friday Agreement.

‘Delicate balance’

In his talks to the party leaders, Mr. Johnson is expected to say that while the government “will always keep the door open to genuine dialogue”, there will be “a necessity to act” to protect the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) if there is no change in the EU position.

He will insist the government has never suggested scrapping the protocol and will acknowledge there will always have to be a treaty governing the UK’s relationship with the EU in respect of Northern Ireland in order to prevent the return of a hard border with the Republic.

However he will say the “delicate balance” of the GFA has been upset, eroding the historic economic bonds linking Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, leaving the unionist community feeling its aspirations and identity were under threat.

Ireland is not ‘a pawn’

But speaking on Saturday following a meeting of Sinn Fein’s ruling council in Dublin, Ms. McDonald said the UK government had consistently failed to act in “good faith”.

“Let’s just be clear that the protocol is going nowhere. The protocol is a necessary outworking of Brexit for which the Tory party and the DUP campaigned,” she said.

“The British government cannot use Ireland as a pawn, we won’t be the collateral damage in the Brexit negotiations.

“It is very clear the Tory government in London is in cahoots with the DUP to stall and to hold back progress, to frustrate the will of the people as expressed in the election and that, to anybody who calls themselves a democrat, is clearly unacceptable and clearly shameful.”

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/get-back-to-work-boris-johnson-tells-northern-ireland-politicians-to-form-government-and-sort-out-brexit-trade-deal-12613443

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“So we have finally found an agreement. It was a long and winding road but we have got a good deal to show for it,” E.U. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a press conference.

The deal should avert a chaotic economic break between the two sides on New Year’s Day, after fears of lines at ports and tariffs between the two sides if no deal was achieved.

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U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was expected to speak moments later but tweeted “The deal is done” as his E.U. counterpart was speaking.

Boris Johnson@borisjohnson

The deal is done.

The agreement now goes to the 27 E.U. nations seeking unanimous approval, as well as the blessing of the E.U. and British parliaments. The deal had appeared doomed just weeks ago, with issues such as E.U. fishing rights in U.K. waters proving to be a sticking point, and Johnson warning Brits that they should prepare for no deal.

Reuters reported this week that E.U. negotiators were prepared to cut the value of its fish catch in British waters by about 25%, but Britain wanted a 30-35% reduction. Meanwhile, the U.K. wants to limit E.U. access over three years, while the E.U. wants a six-year timeframe.

But after resolving the remaining fair-competition and almost all fisheries issues on Wednesday, negotiators combed through hundreds of pages of legal text that should become the blueprint for a post-Brexit relationship.

The details are likely to be scrutinized and widely debated ahead of its ratification in London and from European nations. It will remain to be seen if key Eurosceptics in Johnson’s Conservative Party will accept it.

But   one of the architects of the original Brexit referendum, declared victory ahead of the announcement – even as he expressed possible reservations about the details of the accord.

“On the big stuff, the war is over,” he said.

Despite the breakthrough, key aspects of the future relationship between the 27-nation bloc and its former member remain uncertain. But it leaves the mutually dependent but often fractious U.K.-E.U. relationship on a much more solid footing than a disruptive no-deal split.

ON THE CUSP OF BREXIT TRADE DEAL, EU AND UK HASH OUT FINAL DETAILS

Johnson will now claim to have delivered on the promise that won him a resounding election victory a year ago: “Get Brexit Done.”

Even with a deal, trade between Britain and the E.U. will face customs checks and some other barriers on Jan. 1, when the U.K. leaves the bloc’s single market and customs union. A trade deal would avert the imposition of tariffs and duties that could cost both sides billions in trade and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Britain withdrew from the E.U. on Jan. 31, and an economic transition period expires on Dec. 31.

Over the past few days, Johnson and von der Leyen have been drawn more and more into the talks, speaking by phone in a bid to unblock negotiations that have dragged on for months, hampered by the coronavirus pandemic and by the two sides’ opposing views of what Brexit entails.

Rumors of a pre-Christmas trade deal surfaced in recent days based on progress on the main outstanding issues: fishing, fair competition, and resolution of future disputes.

Businesses on both sides are clamoring for a deal that would save tens of billions in costs.

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While both sides would suffer economically from a failure to secure a trade deal, most economists think Britain would take a greater hit, because it is smaller and more reliant on trade with the E.U. than the other way around.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/uk-eu-brexit-trade-deal

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But he said the EU wanted to keep the UK “locked” into its legal system or face punishments such as taxes on imports, which had “made things much more difficult”.

The PM added that the EU’s proposals would mean, despite leaving the bloc earlier this year, the UK would be forced to remain a “twin” of the 27-country organization.

“At the moment, I have to tell you in all candor, the treaty is not there yet and that was the strong view of our cabinet,” he said.

‘Large barriers’

Mr. Johnson said that “looking at where we are,” it was vital the UK prepares for the “Australian-style option” of not having a free trade deal with the EU.

“There’s a strong possibility that we will have a solution much more like Australian relationship with the EU than a Canadian relationship with the EU,” he said.

Mr. Johnson has insisted the country will “prosper” on these terms, but former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm said the UK should be “careful what you wish for”.

Mr. Turnbull told BBC’s Question Time there were some “very large barriers to Australian trade with Europe”, adding: “Australians would not regard our trade relationship with Europe as being a satisfactory one.”

Will there be no deal? Right now it is just too hard to say.

But is Boris Johnson only trying to send messages to his opposite numbers? The answer is no.

On Wednesday we saw this whole saga move closer to what both sides would consider a failure – an inability to agree on a trade deal that had been in reach and is still in their mutual interest.

It may yet come to pass that the prime minister or the EU leadership will have a change of heart.

Of course the rhetoric does not tell us everything that’s going on.

But the PM’s warning tonight is far from just a message designed to be heard in EU capitals – whatever the merits of the decision he may take, Downing Street is preparing the ground for a choice to leave the status quo without firm arrangements in place.

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Australia is negotiating a free trade deal with the EU but currently does not have one.

It largely does business with the EU on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules but has a few arrangements in place, such as co-operation on science and trade on wine.

Moving to WTO rules on 31 December could result in tariffs being imposed leading to higher prices for the goods the UK buys and sells from and to the EU, among other changes.

Canada finalised a deal with the EU in 2017.

Mr Johnson said he “tried very hard to make progress” at his dinner with Mrs von der Leyen, but the EU was making things “unnecessarily difficult”.

Meanwhile, the EU has set out the contingency measures it would take in the event of no trade agreement being reached with the UK.

The plans aim to ensure that UK and EU air and road connections still run after the post-Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.

They also allow the possibility of fishing access to each other’s waters for up to a year, or until an agreement is reached.

Brexit – The basics

• Brexit happened but rules didn’t change at once: The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, but leaders needed time to negotiate a deal for life afterwards – they got 11 months.
• Talks are happening: The UK and the EU have until 31 December 2020 to agree a trade deal as well as other things, such as fishing rights.
• If there is no deal: Border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU. But deal or no deal, we will still see changes.

‘Balance of fairness’

EU leaders are meeting in the Belgian capital for a two day-summit of their own, although Brexit will not be the main focus.

A spokesman said they discussed the situation on Friday morning, but only for 10 minutes.

Arriving at the summit, Mrs von der Leyen said the conditions for a trade deal would have to be “fair for our workers and our companies.”

“This fine balance of fairness has not been achieved so far,” she said, adding that a decision would be taken on Sunday.

BBC Europe correspondent Kevin Connolly said the EU leaders had been preoccupied with disputes about their own budget, a maritime row with Turkey in the Mediterranean and coronavirus as they talked into the early hours of Friday morning.

“Brexit has not been the only priority here – perhaps not even the main one,” he said.

Before the PM’s remarks, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged Mr Johnson to “get on and deliver” a deal, adding the outstanding issues “are capable of resolution”.

Asked whether his party would back a deal in a vote in the Commons, he said: “We will look at it – and we will act in the national interest.”

“But on a straight choice between no deal and deal, then deal is clearly in the national interest,” he added.

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• SIMPLE GUIDE: What happens next with Brexit?
• TRAVEL RULES: How your holidays will change in 2021
• NO DEAL: What happens if these talks fail?
• BREXIT: Seven things that will change on 1 January
  

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  Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55266678

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With just over four weeks left until the United Kingdom finally exits the EU’s orbit on Dec. 31, both sides are demanding concessions from the other on fishing, state aid, and how to resolve any future disputes.

“We really are now running out of time, this is the crucial week, we need to get a breakthrough,” Eustice told Sky.

“I really do think we are now in to the final week or 10 days, of course, if great progress were made this week and you’re nearly there it’s always possible to extend those negotiations,” he said.

Britain formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but has been in a transition period since then under which rules on trade, travel, and business remain unchanged. From the start of 2021, it will be treated by Brussels as a third country.

Talks between EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and British chief negotiator David Frost continued through Sunday. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was a very significant week for Brexit.

“David Frost had made clear that we’re continuing the negotiations because we still think there is a prospect that we can get an agreement and while there is we should persevere with those,” Eustice said.

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Boris Johnson ruled out extending the Brexit transition period past December 2020 as he expressed his confidence a new commercial agreement with the European Union can be struck by December 2020. His commitment sparked political expert Richard Werly to warn Brussels could see the Prime Minister become “nasty” in order to secure a deal with the bloc within 12 months. Le Temps Paris correspondent told France 24: “I’m afraid that in 2020, as far as the European Union is concerned, we are going to discover a nasty Boris Johnson.

“Until now he was the buffoon or the populist but he is going to become nasty on the trade issue – it isn’t going to be easy for the EU to negotiate that trade deal.

“To tell the truth, the EU needs a trade deal as much as the UK. We’ve been told in 2019, with a large part of the truth, the UK was in a weaker position because a Brexit without an agreement would have been difficult for the British economy, now it’s a bit different.”

Mr. Werly also suggested EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier could see his attempts to keep the EU27 united through the second phase of Brexit talks collapse should member states begin to “calculate the benefits” of a close trade alliance with the UK.

The European Union maintained a united front through the first three years of talks with the British Government but some countries, including Ireland, have expressed concerns the bloc’s firm stance could have a serious impact on their national economies.

Boris Johnson insisted he will secure a trade deal with the EU by December 2020 (Image: NUMBER 10)

Mr. Werly continued: “With the British election in his favour, Boris Johnson can now come forward more forcefully and I’m afraid the unity there was in the 27 might be shaky during the coming months.

“At some point, different countries will take the calculator and start to see what are the benefits of having a good trade relationship with the UK and, when you start to calculate, the sense of unity may disappear.”

The Prime Minister’s latest Brexit bill rules out any extension to the transition period beyond the end of 2020, meaning London and Brussels will have just 11 months to broker a free trade agreement, which would typically be expected to take several years.

If no trade agreement is agreed by the end of the transition period and no extension is agreed, the UK may still face an effective no-deal Brexit when the transition ends.

Werly also suggested Michel Barnier could see the unity of the 27 crumble during Brexit trade talks (Image: FRANCE 24)

Michel Barnier maintained unity among the 27 for over three years (Image: GETTY)

Following the Conservatives’ success on December 12, Mr. Varadkar has been urged to lay out a timetable for an orderly dissolution of the Dail, Ireland’s Parliament.

Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin urged Mr. Varadkar to do “the responsible thing and end the speculation and agree to a date for the dissolution of the Dail, a date for the holding of the election.”

The Dail is currently closed for a month-long recess before reconvening on January 15.

Relations between Mr. Martin’s group and Mr. Varadkar’s Fine Gael have hit rock bottom.

EU member states have expressed concerns over the risks a lack of no deal with the UK could have on their economies (Image: EXPRESS.CO.UK)

Ireland’s Taoiseach is said to be furious over Mr. Martin’s demands for an election and has refused to reply.

Instead, Mr. Varadkar has called for face-to-face talks with his opponent to be held either this week or after the Christmas holidays.

Government sources said the Irish leader had repeatedly asked Fianna Fáil to agree on an election date for next summer.

One source close to the Taoiseach hit back at the claims in the letter, saying it was “ironic” for the opposition to be “claiming the moral high ground”.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1223033/EU-news-warning-Boris-Johnson-Brexit-trade-deal-withdrawal-agreement-UK-latest-news

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