Boris Johnson in conversation with Morawiecki: We are ready for “Australian conditions”

Great Britain is ready to end the transition period after Brexit “on Australian terms” if no agreement can be reached in negotiations with the EU – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Saturday to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

“Regarding the future relations of the United Kingdom with the EU, the Prime Minister welcomed the agreement of both parties to the intensified negotiation process in July. He said that the United Kingdom will conduct constructive negotiations, but at the same time will be ready to end the transition period on Australian terms, if it fails to reach agreement, “wrote a communiqué published by Downing Street.

The United Kingdom and the European Union have been negotiating future relations since March after the end of the December 31 current year after Brexit. Since no major progress has been made so far, a round of intensified negotiations is expected to start on Monday. No agreement means that from January 1, 2021, bilateral trade will take place on the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO), i.e. customs and other trade barriers could be used.

Australia does not have a comprehensive trade agreement with the EU. Much of its trade with the EU is in line with WTO rules, although special agreements exist for some goods.

According to the office of the head of the British government, during the conversation Prime Ministers Johnson and Morawiecki regretted that they could not meet in person at the annual Polish-British Intergovernmental Consultations, but approved the Polish-British cooperation plan in the coming months, including on defense and trade.

“Prime Minister (Johnson) and Prime Minister Morawiecki also exchanged comments on the strength and history of relations between Great Britain and Poland in the perspective of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Great Britain” – wrote in the communiqué.

They added that they also discussed the joint fight against the coronavirus and agreed on the need to ensure sustainable global reconstruction in which openness and free trade are the priority.

Bartłomiej Niedziński from London

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