In Brussels, EU gives May glimpse of Brexit hope

[webfact]

In Brussels, EU gives May glimpse of Brexit hope

By Gabriela Baczynska and Alastair Macdonald

 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker meets with British Prime Minister Theresa May at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 7, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May came away from a day in an increasingly impatient Brussels on Thursday with a pledge of renewed talks that held out some hope for a newBrexit deal, if no sign of compromise yet.

 

Senior EU officials urged her to grasp an olive branch from Labour opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn that echoed EU proposals for a permanent EU-UK customs union as a way to end deadlock on the Irish border "backstop". But EU sources said May had given little sign of how she planned to secure parliamentary support.

 

Dispatched by parliament to revise an accord she struck with the EU that European leaders refuse to reopen, May flew into a storm provoked by the EU's Donald Tusk, who wished a "special place in hell" on those who had promoted Brexit with no clear plan for how to achieve it.

 

Despite frustration among Europe's governments at May's inability to win support at home for the deal she agreed in November, EU Council President Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stressed a willingness to be flexible.

 

Juncker and May issued a joint statement after what they called a "robust" discussion. It set out her demand for a legally binding change to the "backstop" plan to avoid customs checks on the Irish border, and his insistence that the other 27 EU member states would not reopen that agreement.

 

"NOT EASY"

However, Juncker said the bloc would look at adding wording to the separate political declaration on future trade terms to see if a closer relationship could be agreed on -- one that EU officials say would render the backstop, under which Britain could be stuck with EU rules for years, largely redundant.

 

"It is not going to be easy," May told a British television reporter. "But crucially, President Juncker and I have agreed that talks will now start to find a way through this, to find a way to get this over the line and to deliver on the concerns that parliament has so we get a majority in parliament.

 

"What I see and hear from leaders is a desire for us to work together to ensure that we can deliver the UK leaving the European Union with a deal," she added. She will meet Juncker again before the end of the month as time gets perilously short for any kind of deal before Britain leaves on March 29.

 

Tusk was cautious though, tweeting: "Still no breakthrough in sight. Talks will continue."

 

Several EU officials familiar with May's separate meetings with Juncker, Tusk and European Parliament leaders said she had given little away, repeating demands for legal changes that would limit the application of the backstop protocol - which British lawmakers say could undermine British sovereignty.

 

She did, she said, chide Tusk for his remarks -- though Tusk pushed back, sources said, suggesting that the "truth hurts".

 

ECONOMY HIT

The Bank of England said Britain was set for its weakest economic growth in 10 years in 2019, blaming mounting Brexit uncertainty and the global slowdown.

 

Governor Mark Carney said: "The fog of Brexit is causing short-term volatility in the economic data and, more fundamentally, it is creating a series of tensions in the economy, tensions for business."

 

He said a "no deal" Brexit, while not the likeliest outcome, had become more probable.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the EU's most powerful leader, who has in recent days stressed the responsibility of both sides to reach an agreement, said a solution could be found without reopening the accord.

 

May will return to parliament on Feb. 14 for a debate on the Brexit negotiations, when lawmakers could again try to wrest control of the process from her, but a vote on approving the Brexit deal is likely to come later in the month.

 

Both May's Conservative Party and the main opposition Labour Party are formally committed to carrying out Brexit following a 2016 referendum in which voters chose to leave the EU by a margin of 52-48 percent. But both parties are deeply divided internally over how or even whether to do so.

 

In a letter to May released on Wednesday, Labour leader Corbyn set out five conditions for Labour to support a deal, including a "permanent and comprehensive" customs union with the bloc, which May has ruled out.

 

(Editing by Janet Lawrence and Kevin Liffey)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-02-08

[TopDeadSenter]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

EU proposals for a permanent EU-UK customs union as a way to end deadlock on the Irish border "backstop".

Interesting. My understanding of a customs union is that it also requires free movement of people - which let's be fair here - was pretty much the sole reason for Brexit in the first place, after Merkel threw open the EU external borders and welcomed anybody with no vetting or risk of deportation.

 

Much credit to Reuters here for writing a feel-good story praising the Eurocrats and Commander Corbyn on a morning that everybody else in Britain is agog at the disgusting remarks from Tusk along the lines of Brexiteers will end up in a "special place in hell". So mature.

 

 Thank Dickens for Brexit, and like that annoying chap on the telly said "Lets git 'er done!"

[Laughing Gravy]

Yes same old from Brussels. Trying to tie the UK back in the CU and SM. How coincidentally Mark Carney predictions come out as well. Who would have thought.

 

The elite will try every trick in the book. They are stooping low with Corbyn. The man who has voted against every treaty on the EU and has publicly stated he disgust for the EU. Now he is the saviour.

 

TM just walk away. If not you will be thrown out one way or another in the near future.

[Orac]

48 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Interesting. My understanding of a customs union is that it also requires free movement of people - which let's be fair here - was pretty much the sole reason for Brexit in the first place, after Merkel threw open the EU external borders and welcomed anybody with no vetting or risk of deportation.

 

Much credit to Reuters here for writing a feel-good story praising the Eurocrats and Commander Corbyn on a morning that everybody else in Britain is agog at the disgusting remarks from Tusk along the lines of Brexiteers will end up in a "special place in hell". So mature.

 

 Thank Dickens for Brexit, and like that annoying chap on the telly said "Lets git 'er done!"

 

No requirement for free movement of people under a customs union - it applies specifically to goods. 

 

the principal pal difference between a free trade deal and a customs union is an FTA allows an independent trade policy whereas a CU centralises that. The drawback of an FTA is that rules of origin apply which make things very difficult for complex products such as cars which have parts from all over the world in them. I did notice the U.K.-Chile deal announced this week tries to get round the origin problem by classing EU goods as U.K. originating but this is almost certainly going to fall foul of WTO rules.

[sawadee1947]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

though Tusk pushed back, sources said, suggesting that the "truth hurts".

well, that's the point. I wonder what this old wrench did all the last 2 years? Probably she is a buddy in mind with our Prayuth? Clinging to power? Selfish, stubborn, and incompetent