AFP, London :
Legislation intended to smooth Britain’s exit from the European Union moves a step closer to becoming law on Wednesday, as ministers begin working out what they want from Brexit.
The House of Commons will hold its eighth and final day of detailed scrutiny of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which would formally end Britain’s membership of the bloc and transfer EU rules into British law. May suffered a humiliating defeat by pro-European members of her own Conservative party last week, when MPs voted to amend the bill to ensure parliament has the final say on any divorce deal with Brussels.
But she looks set to avoid a second rebellion over plans to enshrine Brexit day in law, by offering some flexibility to move the date-March 29, 2019 — if negotiations with the EU go down to the wire.
The bill still has two days of debate by MPs in January, when the rebel amendment could be reviewed, before it goes to the unelected House of Lords for debate.
But the so-called “committee stage” of scrutiny was a test for May’s minority government, which relies on a small Northern Irish party to push through legislation.
EU leaders last week agreed to open the second stage of Brexit talks, after approving an interim deal on Britain’s financial settlement, expatriate rights and the Irish border.
But they are still unclear on what Britain wants from the future relationship, including the shape of any trade deal.
Cabinet ministers held their first detailed discussion on the economic partnership at a meeting on Tuesday, although no negotiating position was finalised, with further talks expected in early January.
May’s spokesman said she called for “a deal which secures the best possible trading terms with the EU, enables the UK to set rules that are right for our situation and facilitates ambitious third-country trade deals”.
He said the cabinet agreed on the goal.
However, ministers are divided over how closely to stick to European regulations after Brexit, with some favouring convergence to secure the best possible trading ties, and others calling for a new approach.
Brussels meanwhile has repeatedly warned Britain that it cannot expect to leave the EU’s single market and customs union, and maintain all its benefits.
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that any deal struck would inevitably result in Britain’s banks and financial companies losing rights to trade across the bloc.
“There is no place” for giving Britain’s financial services full access to the EU market, he told a number of newspapers, including Britain’s The Guardian.
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said that as long as Britain’s goals remained vague, competing forces in May’s government could keep together.
“But the real difficulties ahead lie when the British will ask for special system of regulatory alignment-they won’t get it,” he said.
Brussels (AFP) – Europe’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Wednesday lays out his plans for the next phase of Britain’s divorce from the European Union, aiming to harden his demands for a UK-EU transition period after Brexit.
The development comes after EU leaders last week signed off on the first stage of Brexit negotiations ending more than a year of stalemate over Britain’s bill for leaving the bloc, as well the fate of the Irish border and EU migrants.
Barnier will table his proposals to the college of commissioners, which unites representatives from the 28 member states and the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm.
Talks on a transition period are due to start in January after a green light from EU ministers, with Britain hoping for an agreement on the main principles by March.
Once agreed, negotiations can then move on to future relations for the longer term, with Britain hoping to complete a trade deal as early as possible.
Barnier is widely expected to demand a transition that obliges Britain to adhere to all EU rules, but without a say, during a period of around two years.
“Commission negotiators will argue that the UK will have to replicate EU membership in all its facets,” said Mujtaba Rahman of Eurasia Group, a risk consultancy.
As she presses for the quick transition deal, Prime Minister Theresa May faces opposition from hardline eurosceptics in her Conservative Party over the EU’s terms.
May has already accepted in theory the continued jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the transition and that London will have no legal basis to conclude its own trade deals during the period.
Leading conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed this demand as “rather hostile”, leaving the UK “no more than a vassal state, a colony, a serf of the European Union”.
May insisted to British lawmakers on Monday that the transition is necessary as it would provide continuity for businesses and individuals until the future relationship could be resolved.
She repeated that Britain would be leaving the EU’s single market and customs union, but said the transition arrangements were “a practical matter that most people will understand and appreciate”.
Given the potential pitfalls, “although May will be reluctant to extend Article 50 negotiations or the length of the transition … there is a significant probability she will have to,” said analyst Rahman.
The next phase comes as Barnier ruffled feathers in London on Tuesday with a warning that any ties after Brexit would inevitably result in Britain’s financial companies losing full rights to trade across the bloc.
This was a consequence of “the red lines that the British have chosen themselves. In leaving the single market, they lose the financial services passport,” Barnier told a group of European newspapers.
Legislation intended to smooth Britain’s exit from the European Union moves a step closer to becoming law on Wednesday, as ministers begin working out what they want from Brexit.
The House of Commons will hold its eighth and final day of detailed scrutiny of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, which would formally end Britain’s membership of the bloc and transfer EU rules into British law. May suffered a humiliating defeat by pro-European members of her own Conservative party last week, when MPs voted to amend the bill to ensure parliament has the final say on any divorce deal with Brussels.
But she looks set to avoid a second rebellion over plans to enshrine Brexit day in law, by offering some flexibility to move the date-March 29, 2019 — if negotiations with the EU go down to the wire.
The bill still has two days of debate by MPs in January, when the rebel amendment could be reviewed, before it goes to the unelected House of Lords for debate.
But the so-called “committee stage” of scrutiny was a test for May’s minority government, which relies on a small Northern Irish party to push through legislation.
EU leaders last week agreed to open the second stage of Brexit talks, after approving an interim deal on Britain’s financial settlement, expatriate rights and the Irish border.
But they are still unclear on what Britain wants from the future relationship, including the shape of any trade deal.
Cabinet ministers held their first detailed discussion on the economic partnership at a meeting on Tuesday, although no negotiating position was finalised, with further talks expected in early January.
May’s spokesman said she called for “a deal which secures the best possible trading terms with the EU, enables the UK to set rules that are right for our situation and facilitates ambitious third-country trade deals”.
He said the cabinet agreed on the goal.
However, ministers are divided over how closely to stick to European regulations after Brexit, with some favouring convergence to secure the best possible trading ties, and others calling for a new approach.
Brussels meanwhile has repeatedly warned Britain that it cannot expect to leave the EU’s single market and customs union, and maintain all its benefits.
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that any deal struck would inevitably result in Britain’s banks and financial companies losing rights to trade across the bloc.
“There is no place” for giving Britain’s financial services full access to the EU market, he told a number of newspapers, including Britain’s The Guardian.
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said that as long as Britain’s goals remained vague, competing forces in May’s government could keep together.
“But the real difficulties ahead lie when the British will ask for special system of regulatory alignment-they won’t get it,” he said.
Brussels (AFP) – Europe’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Wednesday lays out his plans for the next phase of Britain’s divorce from the European Union, aiming to harden his demands for a UK-EU transition period after Brexit.
The development comes after EU leaders last week signed off on the first stage of Brexit negotiations ending more than a year of stalemate over Britain’s bill for leaving the bloc, as well the fate of the Irish border and EU migrants.
Barnier will table his proposals to the college of commissioners, which unites representatives from the 28 member states and the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm.
Talks on a transition period are due to start in January after a green light from EU ministers, with Britain hoping for an agreement on the main principles by March.
Once agreed, negotiations can then move on to future relations for the longer term, with Britain hoping to complete a trade deal as early as possible.
Barnier is widely expected to demand a transition that obliges Britain to adhere to all EU rules, but without a say, during a period of around two years.
“Commission negotiators will argue that the UK will have to replicate EU membership in all its facets,” said Mujtaba Rahman of Eurasia Group, a risk consultancy.
As she presses for the quick transition deal, Prime Minister Theresa May faces opposition from hardline eurosceptics in her Conservative Party over the EU’s terms.
May has already accepted in theory the continued jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the transition and that London will have no legal basis to conclude its own trade deals during the period.
Leading conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg slammed this demand as “rather hostile”, leaving the UK “no more than a vassal state, a colony, a serf of the European Union”.
May insisted to British lawmakers on Monday that the transition is necessary as it would provide continuity for businesses and individuals until the future relationship could be resolved.
She repeated that Britain would be leaving the EU’s single market and customs union, but said the transition arrangements were “a practical matter that most people will understand and appreciate”.
Given the potential pitfalls, “although May will be reluctant to extend Article 50 negotiations or the length of the transition … there is a significant probability she will have to,” said analyst Rahman.
The next phase comes as Barnier ruffled feathers in London on Tuesday with a warning that any ties after Brexit would inevitably result in Britain’s financial companies losing full rights to trade across the bloc.
This was a consequence of “the red lines that the British have chosen themselves. In leaving the single market, they lose the financial services passport,” Barnier told a group of European newspapers.
