Thread by @BBCkatyaadler

Here follows a cautionary tale or two: Brexit agreements and the EU #coronavirus recovery fund - that illustrate the dangers of fudging contentious issues under pressure to seal a deal ../1

Once upon a time (not very long ago) EU leaders imagined they’d take a look at a newly-agreed post #Brexit trade deal during a Video-conference on Thurs. Instead negotiators are still wrangling over key issues and the EU is in crisis over its budget + coronavirus recovery Fund /2

Hungary +Poland are blocking the painstakingly constructed new EU budget and much-needed recovery fund in protest at a mechanism allowing the EU to cut off funds to member states found to be breaking the rule of law in a way linked to the EU budget (..) /2

Even if EU leaders were to get rid of the mechanism (something powerful countries eg France say will not happen) the budget and recovery fund could then be vetoed by the European Parliament which insists on the mechanism /3

Diplomats point to the dangers of fudging/not pinning down difficult issues at the start. The hot potato rule of law issue was not fulsomely discussed this summer with eg Germany more focused on getting the budget+recovery fund agreed as soon as possible /4

Remember the tortuous negotiations about the ‚Irish backstop‘ in Brexit divorce talks? That dated back to December 2017 when the issue was first fudged in a joint report between the EU and UK. This allowed each side to nurse their own interpretation of what had been ‚agreed‘ /5

The implementation of the finally-agreed Irish protocol has also proven difficult because details (eg which goods imported from GB to NI would be seen as ´at risk’ of slipping into single market) were ‘glossed over’ to reach a deal /6

So what now with fishing rights in a post #Brexit trade deal? The two sides are still far apart. No one wants fish to be the issue to destroy chances of an overall deal but diplomats from EU coastal countries tell me a broad brushstrokes solution would be a ´nightmare’ /7

They say quota details need to be pinned down now so - for example Dutch or French leaders can tell fishing communities that either they’re protected or will be financially compensated .. But the details must be hammered out, they say.. But there’s little time left to do so /8