Michel Barnier speaking in the EU Parliament (Image: EbS)
Mr Barnier said: “The path to an agreement is very narrow at a time when decisions need to be taken. That will also be a time for everyone to live up to their responsibilities.”
The EU’s Brexit chief signalled he was refusing to drop a demand that would allow Brussels to slap Britain with punitive tariffs if European trawlermen are largely locked out of our fishing grounds in the future.
He insisted that any trade agreement must include a distinct between Britain’s access to the single market and fishing opportunities in UK waters for EU vessels.
MEPs voted in favour of the European Commission s contingency measures on Friday, which are aimed at mitigating the fallout from a no-deal Brexit.
The plans for a possible scenario where no agreement is reached will help prevent disruption in road and air transport and also to extend the existing fisheries authorisations.
The temporary rules will ensure certain services between the UK and the EU continue for a maximum of six months. This includes rights for UK and EU air carriers to continue to fly over and make technical stops on EU territory, as well as serve direct routes to the EU. A limited number of specific pandemic-related cargo flights will be allowed also.
on December 18, 2020
Parliament hopes for an agreement on the future relationship between the EU and the UK, but needs time for scrutiny, stressed MEPs in a debate on Friday.
During the debate with Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, almost all speakers stressed that the Parliament prefers to sign a deal with the UK, but not at the cost of endangering the integrity of the single market.
They welcomed Friday’s upcoming vote on contingency measures in preparation for a possible no-deal scenario. Speakers emphasised that the deal the EU proposed is unprecedented in its scope and its offer of no tariffs and quotas, but in exchange the UK needs to respect fair competition rules. The too short deadline for the negotiation of such an unprecedented deal was set by the UK, they recalled. Echoing chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, MEPs called for the EU’s fishing fleet to be given unfettered access to UK waters.
Following today’s decision by the European Commission and the British government to continue Brexit trade talks, a statement by
Martin Schirdewan MEP, co-president of The Left in the European Parliament & member of the EU Parliament’s UK Coordination Group:
“We’re all in favour of going the extra mile in order to get an agreement – but that extra mile must not be a detour to avoid public debate and democratic scrutiny. Under no circumstances can it bypass or sideline the European Parliament.”
“We know the British Prime Minister has his own reasons to avoid scrutiny of any agreement by members of his own government and party. However, the unseemly speed at which any agreement must now be ratified can only undermine its democratic legitimacy.