European Parliament President hails Brexit deal, says assembly will now ‘scrutinise in detail’
On Thursday evening, David Sassoli said, “The Parliament thanks and congratulates the EU and UK negotiators for their intense efforts to reach, albeit at the last minute, this historic agreement.”
24 Dec 2020
Speaking after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a Brexit agreement on Christmas Eve, Sassoli said, “Although I still deeply regret the UK’s decision to leave the EU, I have always believed that a negotiated settlement is in the best interests of both sides. This deal can now form the basis for us to build a new partnership.”
Yet another deadline in the negotiations for a post-Brexit trade deal has been missed. This one had been set by the European Parliament, which claimed that if its members didn’t have eyes on a deal by December 20, they would not have time to scrutinise and ratify it before the Brexit transition period ends on December 31 2020.
Despite the deadline being missed, the EU and UK negotiators are still talking, with the hope of reaching a deal by the end of the year. And reports hint at progress being made. While sticking points remain, particularly with regard to fisheries, the two parties are moving closer.
Brexit trade talks between the UK and the EU are set to continue into Monday
European Parliament chiefs had set deadline of today for deal but talks still stuck
MEP has said a deal can now not be put in place until January 1 at the earliest
Emmanuel Macron has been blamed for lack of progress after digging in on fish
Matt Hancock blasted the EU for making unreasonable demands during talks
Europe Editor
At some point between the Boris Johnson-Ursula von der Leyen dinner on 9 December, and last Sunday morning, something changed.
The dinner had gone badly. Both sides issued terse statements as Boris Johnson s black Mercedes pulled out of the European Commission s Berlaymont headquarters.
Big gaps remained. The next day Boris Johnson said no deal was now a strong possibility .
The Sunday Times political editor Tim Shipman portrayed a chilly encounter in which Johnson urged von der Leyen to sideline the EU s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, joking about how both the Brits and Germans knew how difficult the French can be .
Michel Barnier speaking in the EU Parliament (Image: EbS)
Mr Barnier said: “The path to an agreement is very narrow at a time when decisions need to be taken. That will also be a time for everyone to live up to their responsibilities.”
The EU’s Brexit chief signalled he was refusing to drop a demand that would allow Brussels to slap Britain with punitive tariffs if European trawlermen are largely locked out of our fishing grounds in the future.
He insisted that any trade agreement must include a distinct between Britain’s access to the single market and fishing opportunities in UK waters for EU vessels.