It is the fifth anniversary of the referendum in Great Britain and Brexit is still causing a stir – on both sides of the English Channel. Boris Johnson’s 2019 campaign motto ‘Get Brexit Done’ earned him his first election as Prime Minister, and the British eventually left the EU in late January 2020.
But is Brexit really “done”?
That could be, according to the German MEP David McAllister, but the topic will remain for years, if not decades.
One of the sticking points is the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol. It makes it clear that the British province will remain part of the internal market for the time being. That means controls on goods coming from the rest of the UK.
To make the transition easier for supermarkets, a three-month grace period was agreed at the beginning of the year. To the great annoyance of the EU, London extended this waiting period until October without consulting Brussels. The dispute has still not been resolved.
The EU understands the difficulties in Northern Ireland and wants to be flexible, said McAllister. But if London continues to take solitary decisions without consulting the EU Commission or the Republic of Ireland, there will be determined retaliation from the EU.
Brexit also means more controls and bureaucracy when delivering goods to the EU. The result: trade between the two sides fell noticeably. But the damage on the British side is much greater.
The export and import figures speak for themselves, even in financial services there have been losses, according to the German MEP Bernd Lange, chairman of the trade committee.
Finally, EU civil rights are also affected. The freedom of movement between the two sides is history, and more and more people are being turned back or even detained at the border. Brussels now has to grapple with it.
There are fewer hurdles to set up and more collaboration to be made possible, says McAllister. The relationship consists not only of trade and business, but also moves people in their everyday lives. It is to be hoped that these people will be able to continue living their lives despite the political decision.
Brexit, a reason to celebrate? Maybe on the island. But there is already a hangover mood.
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