Brexit
Britain and EU exchange Brexit agreement drafts
Britain and the European Union have exchanged draft legal texts containing their proposals for how relations between the two sides should work after the end of a Brexit transition period on 31 December, a British government spokesman said on Wednesday (18 March).
Negotiating a new EU-UK partnership in challenging times
It is now nearly two months since the United Kingdom left the European Union. It left with the legal certainty and clarity provided by the Withdrawal Agreement and the accompanying Political Declaration, writes MEP David McAllister.
UK ‘putting Brexit over breathing’ as Johnson opts out of EU COVID scheme
The UK government has been accused of ‘putting Brexit over breathing’ after it confirmed it had opted out of an EU joint procurement scheme for urgently needed medical equipment to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Macron threatens UK entry ban in lieu of more stringent measures
French President Emmanuel Macron threatened to close France's border with Britain on Friday if Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to take more stringent measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak, a French newspaper reported.
EU’s Brexit negotiator Barnier says he has COVID-19
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has the coronavirus, he announced on Thursday (19 March).
British supermarkets impose limits as panic buying spreads
Britain's biggest supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, imposed limits on purchases of pasta, toilet roll and long life milk on Wednesday (18 March) after alarmed shoppers stripped shelves bare to hoard for possible isolation in the coronavirus outbreak.
US, UK ‘going big’ in economic fightback against virus
The United States and Britain led a multi-billion-dollar global fightback against economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus as the European Union shut its borders to travellers from outside for 30 days to stem the pandemic's ferocious spread.
Brexit talks cancelled due to COVID crisis, UK confirms
UK and EU officials on Tuesday (17 March) cancelled the second round of post-Brexit trade talks planned for this week
Boris Johnson is more focused on Brexit than coronavirus
Boris Johnson's obsession with obtaining a Brexit deal in June has over-ridden the need to act decisively in response to Coronavirus. But the signs of panic are emerging, writes Denis MacShane.
Britons in Europe are disenfranchised while their EU counterparts’ rights hang in the balance
The French municipal elections which will take place on 16 March are the first since President Macron was elected and an important test of his popularity. They are also the first set of municipal elections in which British citizens in France will be unable to vote.
The Brief, powered by APPLiA – British exceptionalism
Whoever said that British exceptionalism would end with Brexit? While the continental cousins put themselves on self-imposed lockdown – closing schools and ordering people to work and stay at home as much as possible, it is almost business as usual across the Channel.
Barnier shows controversial draft UK deal to EU members
Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said on Friday (13 March) that he had sent an "ambitious" first draft of what could be a new post-Brexit trade deal with Britain to EU capitals.
French polls – a reminder of post-Brexit voting limbo
France’s municipal elections on Sunday (16 March) will be a major test for President Emmanuel Macron in the wake of the popular protests by the gilets jaunes and over controversial pension reforms. They will also be the first such polls in which British citizens in France will not be able to vote.
Coronavirus set to derail Brexit talks, UK minister admits
The spread of the coronavirus epidemic is set to derail post-Brexit trade talks between London and the EU, UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove admitted on Wednesday (11 March).
Britain to table draft UK-EU trade pact, seeking to pressure Brussels
The UK will table its own free trade pact with the EU in a bid to up the ante on Brussels at next week’s second round of negotiations on post-Brexit relations.
UK set to eject out of EU aviation regulator
The United Kingdom will leave the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) at the end of 2020, according to Britain’s transport minister. Shifting responsibility back to its own regulator could cost the UK £400m over the course of a decade though.
New reports urge EU, UK to clarify Brexit ‘no man’s land’ on citizens’ rights
Campaigners have urged European governments and the UK to clarify their 'confused' policies to guide UK citizens living in the EU through the post-Brexit “no man’s land”, following the publication of two new reports on Friday (6 March).
Barnier sees ‘very serious’ differences with UK on future relationship
The EU and the UK will have to overcome “very serious” differences to agree on a new relationship, chief Brussels negotiator Michel Barnier warned on Thursday (5 May) after concluding the first round of negotiations.
Talking about life after the divorce: EU and Britain kick off new talks
Britain and the European Union kick off talks on Monday (2 March) on how their relationship will shape up after Brexit, with half a trillion euros worth of annual trade and close security ties at stake in what are bound to be tense talks.
Beyond the belligerence, a Brexit deal is closer than it looks
Belligerence is in the air. Talks on future EU-UK relations will kick off next Monday (2 March) with the two sides looking as far apart as ever. There is scope for the gap to be bridged though.
Stage set for EU-UK tussle over green credentials
Trade talks between the EU and UK start next week with thorny issues like state aid and fish set to complicate matters. There is also a fight brewing over environmental policies that may make an agreement by year’s end even more difficult to come by.
We will walk away if no deal likely in June, Johnson warns EU
The UK has threatened to walk away from Brexit trade talks and head towards WTO trading terms with the EU if a draft deal is not in place in June, according to the mandate published by Boris Johnson's government on Thursday (27 February).
Ireland needs a stable government for the post-Brexit negotiations
The post-Brexit negotiations with the UK are particularly vital for Ireland and dealing with them requires a stable government in office, writes Dick Roche.
Brexit deal will be ‘difficult’, Barnier says as ministers agree mandate
The EU and UK formally agreed their negotiating mandates for talks on a new trade and political partnership on Tuesday (25 February), setting the stage for a bruising battle on regulatory standards.