BRUSSELS – EU Envoy’s Finalised Mandate For Brexit Negotiations. European Union envoys, on Monday, finalised a mandate for chief negotiator Michel Barnier. He will lead talks with Britain on its future relations with European Union.
According to details, Britain is working on its own negotiating mandate, publishing on Thursday. Britain ceased to be part of the EU at the end of last month under Brexit. It also ushered in a transition period for the big negotiations to take place on trade, security and defence.
Both London and Brussels have employed increasingly tough rhetoric in recent weeks. Barnier, who has stood firm on EU positions, declined to be drawn on the latest skirmish. A UK newspaper report alleging that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was seeking to undermine the Brexit withdrawal agreement. EU Envoy’s Finalised Mandate For Brexit Negotiations.
The Sunday Times report, citing an unnamed British government “senior source”, said Johnson’s negotiating team was looking at ways aimed at “not obeying the Northern Ireland protocol” in the Brexit deal. On the other hand, that protocol requires checks on goods between Britain and its Northern Ireland territory in the interest of maintaining economic integrity between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.
The measure effectively puts a border for goods in the Irish Sea. Johnson has repeatedly insisted that no checks will be there. While his office said the UK “will comply with our obligations” under the withdrawal agreement. On the other side of the table, France took the lead in injecting hardball conditions into successive drafts of the EU negotiating mandate.