It's time to talk about Brexit again. Although the coronavirus emergency has turned off the spotlight on the negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom, the Brexit catchphrase never really went away. Indeed, in the background, the talks between the parties continued. The problem is that so far nothing has been achieved and there is less and less time to find an agreement. A few days ago, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, reconfirmed the intention to do not ask for an extension of the transitional period which will expire on 31 December, despite the coronavirus pandemic necessarily slowing down work and bringing the UK economy to its knees (GDP fell by more than 20% in April). Translated: at the end of the year, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union with or without a deal trade and the chances of a hard Brexit are therefore rising by the hour.
To try to agree actions aimed at advancing the negotiations, on 15 June, Johnson, the president of the EU Council, Charles Michel, the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the president of the EU Parliament, David Sassoli, met gathered in an interim video conference. The four agreed on the need to give "new impetus to the talks" and “create the most favorable conditions for concluding and ratifying an agreement by the end of 2020. This should include, if possible, a preliminary understanding on the principles underlying any agreement”.
However, hopes are low at the moment. Not surprisingly, a few minutes after the videoconference, via Twitter, Charles Michel said that "a broad and ambitious agreement, in line with the guidelines of the European Council is in our mutual interest". Using a saying (“Ready to put a tiger in the tank but not to buy a pig in a poke”), the number one of the EU Council however reiterated that Brussels is not prepared to sign an agreement at any cost.
According to Johnson, however, the United Kingdom and the EU have "excellent chances" of reaching a post-Brexit free trade agreement by the end of the year transition deadline, but "provided" that both sides "really concentrate now" on the negotiation , "go ahead and do what needs to be done," said the British prime minister. According to a Downing Street spokesman the possible deadline for reaching a turning point would be “the end of summer”. The problem is that while on the one hand London reaffirms its willingness to find an agreement, on the other it does not open any glimmer of its no to the regulatory alignment of the so-called 'level playing field' or on fishing; and warns that the Kingdom will be “ready to regain control of its laws, borders and money, come what may” when the transition period expires. Let the Brexit psychodrama begin again.
