The European Union is dissatisfied with the recent British proposals for a Brexit agreement and sets a deadline for the United Kingdom this evening. Otherwise, talks should continue after the EU summit scheduled for Thursday and Friday, chief negotiator Michel Barnier said today, according to EU diplomats, EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
If there is still an agreement today, the EU summit could deal with it on Thursday, said Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders in Luxembourg. „But it is not easy.“ A text must be at least tomorrow morning for the weekly meeting of the European Commission, so that the member states could be informed before the summit, it said from EU circles. According to Barnier, the latest proposals from London are not enough.
Deal „difficult but possible“
The UK must submit a bill by the evening, which should then be decided by EU leaders at its summit, said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney. „A deal is difficult, but possible.“ Similarly, Barnier had expressed himself before his meeting with the ministers. Several EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Luxembourg were more skeptical.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants Britain to leave the EU on 31 October. The details of an agreement are to be agreed at the EU summit on Thursday and Friday in Brussels before the British Parliament is to vote on Saturday.
Barnier said before his deliberations to journalists, it was high time the government in London „put their good intentions into a legislative text“. „Achieving an agreement is still possible. Obviously, every agreement must work for everyone – for the whole of the United Kingdom and for the entire European Union. “
Schallenberg is „good things“
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said EU countries would remain 16 days to resolve the Brexit issue. He said it was „good things“ that it would succeed, since there was a common interest in avoiding a „hard Brexit“, ie an unregulated exit from Britain from the EU, according to Schallenberg. But it is too early to say whether it will need a second summit this week after the European Council of Heads of State and Government.
