With just eight months to go before Brexit, the UK government is fighting off accusations that it’s not doing enough to prepare for a scenario where Britain crashes out of the European Union without a deal.

Source: http://www.erienewsnow.com/story/38767061/food-shortages-grounded-flights-these-could-be-the-consequences-of-a-messy-brexit

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As the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier welcomed the UK’s new Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union Dominic RAAB to the Commission, the EU executive issued a Communication outlining the impact on the rest of the EU if the United Kingdom leaves the EU and becomes a third country on 30 March 2019.

There is no certainty that there will be a ratified withdrawal agreement in place on that date, or indeed what it will entail, and the Commission says it has been working hard to try to ensure that the EU institutions, Member States and private parties are prepared for the UK’s withdrawal.

Repercussions range from new controls at the EU’s outer border with the UK, to the validity of UK-issued licences, certificates and authorisations and to different rules for data transfers.

The EU executive’s Communication, which follows a request by the European Council (Article 50) last month to intensify preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes, calls on Member States, and private parties, to step up their preparations.

While the EU is working to ensure an orderly withdrawal, the Commission makes clear that the UK’s withdrawal will undoubtedly cause disruption – for example in business supply chains – whether or not there is a deal.

It also makes clear that, even if an agreement is reached, the UK will no longer be a Member State after withdrawal and will no longer enjoy the same benefits as a member. Therefore, it says, preparing for the UK becoming a third country is of paramount importance, even in the case of a deal between the EU and the UK.

The Commission says that everyone – including economic operators and other private parties – must now step up ‘preparations for all scenarios and take responsibility for their specific situation’.

Stakeholders, as well as national and EU authorities, need to prepare for two possible main scenarios:

• If the Withdrawal Agreement is ratified before 30 March 2019, EU law will cease to apply to and in the UK on 1 January 2021, i.e. after a transition period of 21 months.
• If the Withdrawal Agreement is not ratified before 30 March 2019, there will be no transition period and EU law will cease to apply to and in the UK as of 30 March 2019. This is referred to as the “no deal” or “cliff-edge” scenario.

Over the past year, the Commission has screened the entire Union ‘acquis’ (body of EU law) to examine whether any changes are needed in light of the UK’s withdrawal. To that effect, the Commission has adopted (and will adopt whenever necessary) specific, targeted legislative proposals to ensure that EU rules continue to function smoothly in a Union of 27 after the UK’s withdrawal.

The Commission has also published over 60 sector-specific preparedness notices to inform the public about the consequences of the UK’s withdrawal in the absence of any withdrawal agreement. Finally, by 30 March 2019 the two London-based agencies – the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority – as well as other UK-based bodies, like the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre, will be leaving the UK and a number of tasks performed by UK authorities will also have to be reassigned away from the UK.

Source: https://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/brexit-impact.19hc

The post EU warns of impact of Brexit on rest of Europe first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The German Chancellor is already suffering from a damaged ego over a failure to form a coalition following September’s embarrassing election defeat.

And now Angela Merkel is struggling to maintain grip over her own party members from the Christian Democratic Union as the EU looks to its wealthiest country for leadership on governance reform within the bloc.

Fears were raised after German Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt went against Mrs Merkel to vote in favour of a five-year extension for glyphosate, a controversial weedkiller, without consulting the chancellor.

It was also against objections of the Social Democrats (SPD) – who Mrs Merkel desperately hopes she can form a coalition with.

The controversial move shocked Brussels and even raised raised eyebrows among Germany’s counterparts, including the French Agriculture Minister Nicolas Hulot, who told politics news site Politico he was shocked that Germany “was not more solid”.

Reacting to the news, Mrs Merkel said: “As for the vote of the agriculture ministry yesterday on glyphosate, this did not comply with the instructions worked out by the federal government.”

Mrs Merkel has turned to the SPD after she failed to form a three-way coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the ecologist Greens.

And in another sign of her diminishing power, Michael Roth, a Social Democrat state secretary in the foreign ministry, voted against orders to back Dublin if Frankfurt’s bid failed in a vote over the future location of the European Banking Authority.

Mr Roth had in fact backed Paris, which went on to claim victory.

EU members are now watching on nervously as their de facto leader struggles to regain control within her own country, long considered the economic powerhouse of the EU.

One Brussels official said: “If this becomes a precedent, it could affect any number of issues in the coming months.”

Discussions surrounding Brexit are also creating deep divides in Germany as Britain’s decision to leave creates cracks in the EU powerhouse.

While Mrs Merkel fully backs EU Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, a Social Democrat, has aligned himself more closely with the French.

It is believed French officials are beginning to become frustrated with Mrs Merkel’s reluctance to back Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious plans to reform.

And while the 39-year-old president ploughs ahead with his plans for further EU integration with the introduction of a Brussels army and shared defence budget, Mrs Merkel will attempt to form a government around a divided camp.

Source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/886225/Angela-Merkel-Germany-German-elections-latest-EU-latest-news

The post MERKEL LOSING GRIP: Germany more DIVIDED than ever before in threat to EU integration first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.