Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss Boris Johnson’s negotiations with Brussels, as the end of January deadline fast approaches. The EU’s unelected President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, admits that the EU is ‘very worried’.
Von der Leyen warned that Brussels may need to extend the deadline for talks about a new trade relationship with the UK.
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Boris sets December 2020 hard deadline for EU trade deal. EU “very worried by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 416. The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss Boris Johnson’s negotiations with Brussels, as the end of January deadline fast approaches. The EU’s unelected President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, admits that the EU is ‘very worried’.
Britain has set a hard deadline of December 2020 for reaching a new trade deal with the EU. But the European Commission President said both sides needed to seriously think about whether this is enough time to negotiate a new trade deal and work out agreements about a series of other issues. Ms Von der Leyen told French daily newspaper Les Echos: “It would be reasonable to evaluate the situation mid-year and then, if necessary, agree on extending the transition period.”
In separate comments to German magazine Der Spiegel, Ms Von der Leyen added the UK’s departure deadline on December 31 “worries her a lot.”
She said: “That worries me a lot, because time is extremely short for the mass of issues that have to be negotiated.”
She said earlier this month that this timeframe is “extremely short” to discuss not only trade issues but also education, transport, fisheries and other issues.
Ms Von der Leyen told Der Spiegel that on security and defence: “Both sides are now striving for close cooperation.”
But Mr Johnson hit back that he will not back down by insisting the transition will end on at the end of December 2020.
He even made that pledge a legal requirement, according to the Mirror.
A UK government spokesman said on Friday: “The Prime Minister has been clear that we will not be extending the Implementation Period.
“Both the EU and the UK committed to agreeing a future partnership by the end of 2020 in the Political Declaration and have agreed to work with great energy to achieve this.”
Mr Johnson won a solid parliamentary majority in the general election earlier this month.
This helped him push a Brexit withdrawal deal through Parliament.
The Brexit bill contained amendments that bar the government from extending the transition period beyond 2020.
Under Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty rule book, which governs how countries leave the bloc, any new extension to the departure process must be agreed by June 30 2020.
As the leader of the executive commission, Ms von der Leyen is in charge of the EU institution responsible for Brexit talks and negotiating trade deals on behalf of member countries.
Trade pacts like this usually take years to finalise.
And businesses are said to fear that the UK could face a new “no-deal” Brexit scenario at the start of 2021 if questions about whether tariff-free trade with the country’s biggest trading partner remain unanswered.
The EU is also reportedly planning to threaten to block the City of London’s access to European markets if Boris Johnson does not agree close alignment with the EU, according to The Times.
A diplomatic source told the newspaper EU negotiators would use the threat of restricting or limiting access to financial data as “leverage” during their talks.
Mr Johnson is also said to be looking to sign a “Canada-style” Free Trade Agreement with the EU, covering trade between the UK and all 27 EU nations.
If he is is unable to agree a deal within 11 months, the UK may leave with no deal.
The EU’s own trade deal with Canada took seven years.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
I hope the Boris Brexit gets done! Better a Boris Brexit than no Brexit at all!
Anybody noticing a bit of a change in the EU’s tone as this becomes a reality? In the heat of the moment it was all “hey bitch, don’t let the door hit you on your ass on the way out” and as she actually starts to pack her bags, and reality sets in, its all “hey, you know, I’m sorry baby, I didn’t really mean it, don’t go, lets talk this over” and the taxi pulls into the driveway… LOL!
Yes, yes! Lost love! All I can say to the EU bonzos: “Don’t cry over spilled milk!” Get on with what’s left or dissolve the EU.”
A bit of humour about Boris Johnson’s famous haircut, hairstyle, from the Guardian: “In all seriousness, can someone please buy Boris Johnson a hairbrush? He doesn’t look like he has been dragged through a hedge backwards; he looks like the hedge. Remember when Wella tried to make the Messed Up look a thing (the actual product name), thinking it gave off vibes of the morning after a night of amazing sex? In fact it looked like someone who had been strapped to the electric chair, the switch flipped and only then had been granted a reprieve. The gel of the… Read more »
As a rule, I ignore the Guardian as just another Neo-liberal NWO propaganda rag, but I gotta admit, some of that is pretty funny. The stuff on my own boy-toy PM was particularly on target. I think its also telling that three out of four posts on a thread about BREXIT are satirical in nature. Speaks volumes…
Brexit is a long process. Will it ever end? There are two ways to deal with it: you can despair, or you can have fun with a bit of satire.
I just REALLY hope that this (along with the collapse of NATO, which looks more likely with every passing day) is the beginning of the end of the EU.
I think so too. I hope that both, Nato and EU will be dissolved soon.
All the communications, visits, and “negotiations with the EU, are part of a structure of deceit, aggression, and friction concocted by Dominic Cummings to achieve two purposes. Firstly to create the impression that Boris is sort of trying to get his plan accepted but wont back down on anything (ie he is the . tough leader Britain is hankering for). Secondly, to create the path for a no-deal Brexit crash-out and Britain’s chlorinated chicken future. In other words, its all fake, which clearly the EU realises, as do the Tory-worshipping media, but they will play the game as if this… Read more »