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Jennifer Rankin
@JenniferMerode
, 4 tweets, 1 min read Read on Twitter
Is the EU really brainstorming about a stripped-down version of the backstop, covering only agri-food?

The short answer - from three EU sources - is no.

1/3
The slightly longer answer: level playing field on goods, preventing smuggling, customs codes, really matter to EU member states. Diplomats do not want to abandon these guarantees now.
2/3
Now the British have taken ownership of coming up with solutions - "the blistering timetable" Johnson identified - EU does not see why they should volunteer ideas now.

3/4
Some EU sources perceive a British trial balloon being floated over Brussels. Insiders stress the answer still lies in a rewritten political declaration, not a rejigged backstop. So as we were.

4/4
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More from @JenniferMerode see all

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Jennifer Rankin
@JenniferMerode
Growing backlash against 'European way of life' job title

Socialists: "complete condemnation" at Wed meeting

Liberal leader Dacian Ciolas has asked VDL to drop name.

Greens: "completely scary and unacceptable"

Left: "co-opting lang of far-right"

theguardian.com/world/2019/sep…
Frans Timmermans said to be furious with decision to appoint another "executive vice president"

He and Margrethe Vestager were meant to be two highest ranking VPs.

Now Valdis Dombrovskis makes three and Timmermans not happy.
Socialists regard the Dombrovskis appointment as breaking terms of July jobs compromise.

Now top of commission is two EPP (VDL and Dombrovskis), one Socialist (Timmermans) and one Liberal (Vestager).

Not fair say Socialists, who already felt hard done by in jobs share out.
Read 3 tweets
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Jennifer Rankin
@JenniferMerode
Ursula von der Leyen is going to announce her commission on Tuesday and Viktor Orbán’s candidate faces 'rough ride' in front of the European parliament .

theguardian.com/world/2019/sep…
Have also heard rumours that Hungary's László Trócsányi could be commissioner for humanitarian aid.
An argument goes: good to give Hungary this job b/c aid budget could be used to help deter migrants.
Treating this as informed speculation, rather than fact.
If true, this would be go down badly with centrists, probably greens and socialists.
@SophieintVeld
“An arch-conservative commissioner at the helm [the EU aid budget] will have devastating consequences for the lives of countless women and girls.”
Read 3 tweets
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Jennifer Rankin
@JenniferMerode
EU diplomats were briefed earlier by Michel Barnier's team on latest Brexit talks.

The debrief lasted 15 minutes, because “there was very little to report” per EU source.
1.
UK came with no new ideas to replace backstop, but wanted to discuss how Stormont could have a say.

In line with Boris Johnson’s slogan about the “undemocratic backstop”.
The commission objected to the idea that NI should have a veto over the backstop.

(the backstop comes into effect if two sides run out of time in the search for alternative arrangements during time-limited transition).
Read 7 tweets

Related threads

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David Henig
@DavidHenigUK
Great analysis - negotiations fell apart not just because Johnson showed he could not command Parliament, but also due to UK request to remove level playing field provisions without which no agreement of any sort.
Major markets like the EU and US do not give preferential access to this for free (even if that would be economically beneficial) - you have to sign up to their conditions whether on labour, competition, or regulations.
Category error to think trade deals are straightforward because they are economically beneficial. Those benefits typically come at the expense of vested interests, a political cost that must see an equal or greater political or economic benefit
Read 4 tweets
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Katy Hayward
@hayward_katy
Short thread in response to proposals put forward by @FaullJonathan et al. as an alternative to the #backstop.

They claim to offer a compromise that both UK & EU can accept.

It's a sophisticated proposition but is it a runner?

1/5
 @BBCr4today
#Brexit verfassungsblog.de/an-offer-the-e…
First, worth noting (and it's a pity this is so) they downplay the complexity of the NI/IRL challenge + exaggerate the scope of the #backstop.

For instance, the @BelfastAgmt meant much more than "the elimination of a physical [Irish] border".
See: bit.ly/2PfdPO5

2/5
& It isn't true NI wd be in a different regulatory regime to GB (ie EU's).
#Backstop wd mean NI alignment in v.specific areas.

Nor that the UK would be in the EU's Customs Union.
It would be in the customs territory of the EU.

Such detail matters. bit.ly/2HqdmSK

3/5
Read 5 tweets
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Martin Cooper
@mpc_1968
1/ A few clips from last week's @CommonsEUexit SC on level playing field provs (state aid, workers rights & env protections) in the WA. 'What is the diff between being bound by a ruling of the WTO dispute body & being bound by a ruling of the ECJ?' @hilarybennmp @GeorgePeretzQC
2/ @hilarybennmp asks what the future level playing field provisions (workers rights, environmental protections, state aid rules) might look like in any future EU_UK deal. @GeorgePeretzQC @CommonsEUexit
3/ @hilarybennmp : 'Is it fair to say that in just about any circumstances the EU is
going to require from the UK level playing field commitments in return for any kind of deal? Is that your assessment of what the position will be?' @GeorgePeretzQC & @LydgateEmily : 'Yes'
Read 10 tweets
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Simon Lelieveldt
@finhstamsterdam
#FATF and #EU need to fundamentally rethink their approach to virtual assets/currencies... - mailchi.mp/9c189a620509/f…
A similar line of thinking can be seen at the E-money association, who effectively ask to retract article 7b completely...

@EMoneyAssoc

e-ma.org/emaweb/wp-cont…
And then there is the @ciphertrace response, outlining that checking benificairies and adding information really doesn't make sense...

ciphertrace.com/response-to-fa…
Read 73 tweets
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Steve Berman
@stevengberman
The results of my exploration of possibly leasing a @Tesla #Model3. Thread.
1.#Model3 is a nice car. My family liked it. Accelerates well. Quiet, Seems well built. Some oddities--the lack of a dashboard display, always having to look to the center touchscreen even for small things like the directional indicator.../1
...the push-to-Park steering wheel stalk with PRND "shifter" very Benz-like. The touchscreen is used for everything including adjusting side mirrors, steering wheel position/telescope, and OPENING THE FREAKING GLOVEBOX. If that one display fails, no zoom, no drive. /2
Read 23 tweets
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Christophe Barraud🛢
@C_Barraud
🇨🇳 #CHINA Q3 GDP Y/Y: 6.5% V 6.6%E (slowest growth since Q1 2009)
*NBS spokesman Mao Shengyong said that the international situation was bringing “downward pressure” on China.
*Link: bloom.bg/2RVX1ZA
🇫🇷 🇪🇺 🇨🇳 French tire maker Michelin warned of declining sales in Europe and #China in the second half of the year, dragging down shares of its competitors in the U.S. and Europe - Bloomberg
*Statement: bit.ly/2EujhqH
🇺🇸🇨🇳🇪🇺 In a volley of filings, the EU, #China and the U.S. this week escalated disputes over new U.S. metals tariffs, the European response to those levies, and Chinese intellectual property practices - Bloomberg
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Read 634 tweets

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