EURACTIV logo

Tweets of the Week: Migration Pact, Council Cancellation, Kent’s Brexit Border

By Jennifer Baker and Marlene Stocker | EURACTIV.com | video by Malte Ketelsen and Marlene Stocker

25-09-2020

Does anyone know what the Migration Pact meant? European Council cancellation letters are sent, and Brexit means there’ll be a hard border in Kent.

This week the Commission presented its new Migration Pact.

According to Commissioner Margaritis Schinas, it recognises, acknowledges and addresses the different and unique challenges of different member states. 

Nick Gutteridge asked: My gosh is it really 2015 again already?

One person in no doubt about the announcement was Commission spokesman Adalbert Jahnz:

This is a service announcement: my phone line is quite busy at the moment. 

We’ll announce precise press arrangements for tomorrow through normal channels as soon as ready. It’s a bit hectic here, bear with us 😅

One can only imagine the barrage of calls that led to such a tweet.

But Ruth Reichstein sympathised with the life of a spokesperson the day before the presentation of a new European Migration Pact …

So to sum up on #migration pact: Relocation is dead. Long live Allocation. Still obligations on member states to step in and take or return people. Which despite the clever tweaks, is likely to remain a problem, said Laurence Norman.

Right, this is over and I am confused, wailed Camino Mortera

On Tuesday we learned that European Council President Charles Michel had been in close contact with a security officer who tested positive for COVID19. 

So in line with the current rules he went into quarantine, meaning the whole European Council meeting scheduled for this week was cancelled with just 48 hours notice.

The unprecedented move provoked some skepticism:

Anne Gellinek thinks it’s more likely that the new date is better for the heads of government to try to resolve the conflict between Greece and Turkey.

Merheen Khan pointed out that rescheduling will means two European Councils in three weeks in October. Why can’t leaders just log into a zoom call instead.

Sam Morgan said Europe’s bodyguards are having a crap month:

– Dom Raab’s left his gun on a plane;

– Charles Michel’s got COVID and has forced the cancellation of the Summit

– German Foreign Minister’s got infected too, so no Jordan trip for Heiko Maas.

 

Finally this week, it was the Brexit news you definitely weren’t expecting:

It seems that the UK is going to have to have a border around Kent!

 

2016: Brexit will cut red tape.

2020: You’ll need a passport to get to Kent.

Government Minister Michael Gove announced that truckers cannot enter Kent without a Kent Road Access Permit because of the huge delays and traffic jams expected.

It would appear that Boris Johnson has finally been able to measure up to his hero Winston Churchill by <checks notes> drawing an illogical border across a land that didn’t want it.

Ahir Shah suggested that if there is to be a border with Kent, it should be drawn with a ruler by a brown guy who has never been there

Hans-Erik Iken summed up the general feeling on the continent:

Dear UK. I sincerely hope you all understand why you hear this roar of laughter coming to you over the Channel…… We really can’t help it. Watching your government object to a border in the Irish Sea but erecting one in Kent is just too funny. We will try to keep it down…

 

Even Guy Verhodstadt reckons you couldn’t make it up!

Topics  

Subscribe to our newsletters

Subscribe