Chancellor Merkel lowers her expectations regarding tough negotiations between the UK and the EU over a trade agreement. She sees the ball in the British field. It is primarily the United Kingdom that will determine what future cooperation will look like.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has significantly reduced her expectations of the EU’s talks with Great Britain after the Brexit. “Of course it would be in the interest of Great Britain and all member states of the European Union to get a regular exit,” said the CDU politician of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”: “But that presupposes that both sides want that,” she said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conservative government itself wants to determine the position of the country towards the EU. “Then, of course, it also has to live with the consequences – that is, with a less closely interlinked economy,” emphasized Merkel. If the UK doesn’t want comparable rules on the environment, labor market or social standards, “our relationships will be less intense,” the Chancellor said.
EU-27 provide the answer
“We have to let go of the idea that it is we who define what Britain should want,” Merkel said. “Great Britain defines – and we as the EU-27 give the right answer.”
Great Britain has not been a member of the EU since February 1st. Until the end of the year, however, the British would remain in the EU internal market and in the customs union. The transition phase should serve to draw up a trade agreement.
But after four months the negotiations are stuck. Failure is not out of the question. Negotiations on a trade agreement after Brexit are one of the central themes of the German EU Presidency, which begins on July 1st.
Overall, the hurdles are high. Brussels offers London a comprehensive trade agreement with access to the EU market without tariffs and quantity limits, but demands equally high social, environmental and consumer standards. Great Britain does not want to accept any EU requirements. Other key issues include EU fishermen’s access to Britain’s rich fishing grounds, the role of the European Court of Justice in contracting parties’ disputes and data exchange in police investigations.
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