Boris Johnson’s call Chancellor Merkel: (Statement)
The Prime Minster spoke to Chancellor Merkel of Germany this afternoon.
2/ He outlined the current situation with respect to negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and the EU, emphasising the UK’s desire to reach an agreement.
3/ The Prime Minister stressed that while achieving a deal in the coming days would be beneficial for both sides, the UK was also prepared to end the transition period on Australia-style terms if a deal was not possible
4/ The Prime Minister emphasised that progress must be made in the coming days to bridge the significant gaps, in particular in the areas of fisheries and the level playing field, through the process of intensive talks between Chief Negotiators.
5/ The leaders also discussed the importance of like-minded democracies, such as the UK and Germany, working together to defeat coronavirus and lead a green, sustainable recovery. They resolved to continue working closely on this in the months ahead.

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More from @tconnellyRTE

13 Oct
Following this morning's briefing of EU foreign + Europe ministers by @MichelBarnier in Luxembourg here's a sense of expectations ahead of this week's #EUCO:
2/ The EU wants to dedramatise the mtg: ie, this was @BorisJohnson's deadline not the EU's. So far there are Council draft conclusions on Covid 19, Africa + climate - but nothing on Brexit. That won't come till after a morning mtg of EU ambassdors and is expected to be bland
3/ Barnier said there has been movement on the level playing field (LPF), including state aid, and referenced @DavidGHFrost's statement to the House of Lords EU Cttee last week as movement
Read 15 tweets
13 Oct
Ireland's foreign min @simoncoveney says there will be no breakthru at the #euco this wk, that EU fishermen will not be "sold out" in order to secure a future relationship deal, and that if there is a deal it will not be ratified unless the UK "remove" Internal Mkt Bill clauses
2/ Speaking at the General Affairs Council Mr Coveney said: “We value fishermen, we value their contribution across the EU and cerainly EU fishermen are not going to be sold out in an effort to get an agreement on a future relationship with the UK on trade.”
3/ He said that while there had been some progress on the level playing field area, there had been “little or no” movement on fisheries. Both sides, he said, had legitimate concerns on the issue.
Read 8 tweets
10 Oct
Statement after Johnson-Macron phonecall:
“The Prime Minister spoke to President Macron of France this morning.

“The leaders discussed the latest developments in the Coronavirus pandemic and the measures each country was taking to stop the spread of the virus.
2/
“The Prime Minister then set out the latest state of play in the negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and the EU. He confirmed the UK's commitment to exploring every avenue to reach an agreement.
3/ “He underlined that a deal was better for both sides, but also that the UK was prepared to end the transition period on Australia-style terms if an agreement could not be found.
Read 5 tweets
9 Oct
So, the vexed question of an EU presence in Belfast to monitor + help implement the NI Protocol is going to raise its head again between now and Dec 31. It will be raised at today's Specialised Cttee mtg involving EU-UK officials in Brussels, but it's not the main item
2/ Here's a reminder of where things are at: Article 12 of the Protocol says EU "representatives shall have the right to be present during any activities of the authorities of the UK" relating to the application of the Protocol, in other words, EU officials have an oversight role
3/ The EU wrote the UK in February, following up on a commitment by the previous govt in 2019 for the EU to have a physical presence in Belfast. However, the UK this time flatly rejected the idea. Here is @PennyMordaunt's letter to @HelgaSchmid_EU gov.uk/government/pub…
Read 14 tweets
5 Oct
Mordaunt: Many have pointed to the fact that the EU has struggled to treat the UK as a sovereign equal in these negotiations, and we must ensure that not just at the end of transition but further down the line our sovereignty is fully protected and restored
Mordaunt: it won't be until negotiations have concluded that the issues around the Protocol that JC and specialised cttee will be able to conclude their work. [asked if the UK wd bring more leg forward which wd disapply aspects of the Protocol]
Mordaunt keeps referring to "negotiations" at JC level; the EU regard the JC as simply implementing what has already been negotiated
Read 4 tweets
5 Oct
Mordaunt: we have negotiated in good faith, we have made reasonable demands in these negotiations [ie in the Joint Committee]
Mordaunt: it is the fact that we have been having negotiations for some time and still haven't had the reassurances... All these issues have been continually raised throughout our discussions
Q: Was it made clear if the EU was less obdurate then the UK would have no alternative but to put clauses in the IMB? Mordaunt doesn't directly answer, says she wasn't privy to some discussions [I think, extremely hard to hear her]...
Read 4 tweets

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