Brexit: EU and UK to 'intensify' Brexit talks

The European Commission on Friday released a statement saying the "EU and the UK have agreed to intensify discussions over the coming days."

The statement followed a meeting between EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay.

The UK is set to leave the European Union on 31 October as outstanding issues remain entrenched on efforts to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland after Brexit.

Read more: EU and UK to 'intensify' Brexit talks

Brexit: UK′s Boris Johnson sends last-gasp Brexit proposals to Brussels

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sent European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker a four-page letter on Wednesday offering what he described as a "fair and reasonable" compromise to get Brexit over the line before the October 31 deadline.

The proposal said it would be a "failure of statecraft for which we would all be responsible" if the two sides failed to reach an agreement. He added that "both sides now need to consider whether there is sufficient willingness to compromise" to get a "rapid" deal done in time.

According to a UK official, Johnson subsequently spoke with European leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel and Ireland's Leo Varadkar, in addition to the EU's Juncker.

Later on Wednesday, 10 Downing Street also announced plans to prorogue parliament from Tuesday, October 8 until the following Monday. This follows the recent Supreme Court decision nullifying the government's bid to shutter parliament for 5 weeks.

The end date for the prorogation, October 14, just before the decisive EU leaders' summit, is the same as the previous attempt to shut the chamber.

No backstop, but also few details, for Northern Ireland

The core suggestion in the letter to Brussels was the abolition of the backstop for Northern Ireland — an insurance policy designed to ensure there is no return to customs posts or other infrastructure on the UK border in Ireland.
 
Instead, the government suggested "the potential creation of an all-island regulatory zone on the island of Ireland, covering all goods including agrifoods."

The letter offered few details on how or whether this could be achieved and said it should depend on consent from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland's Assembly at Stormont has not been in session since January 2017.

Read more at: UK′s Boris Johnson sends last-gasp Brexit proposals to Brussels | News | DW | 02.10.2019

Brexit : Britain between a rock and a hard place: First EU response to article 50 takes tough line on transitional deal - by Daniel Boffey

"Brexit and the Mouse that roare": sorry to see you go Britain

Britain will not be given a free trade deal by the EU in the next two years, and a transition arrangement to cushion the UK’s exit after 2019 can last no longer than three years, a European parliament resolution has vowed, in the first official response by the EU institutions to the triggering of article 50 by Theresa May.

A leaked copy of the resolution, on which the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been a close conspirator, lays bare the tough path ahead for Britain as the historic process of withdrawing from the trade bloc begins.

Across 11 pages of clauses, May is warned that the EU will stridently protect its political, financial and social interests, and that the position for the UK even during the transition period will not be as positive as it is today.

A withdrawal agreement, covering financial liabilities, citizens’ rights and the border in Ireland, will need to be accepted by a qualified majority of 72% of the EU’s remaining 27 member states, representing 65% of the population. The agreement would then need to be approved by the European parliament, voting by a simple majority.

Barnier has said that any free trade deal, to be struck after the UK leaves, would be a “mixed agreement” requiring ratification by the national parliaments of the 27 states, plus consent by the European parliament.

Sir Tim Barrow, the UK’s permanent representative to the EU, delivered a letter to the European council president, Donald Tusk, at 12.30pm notifying the EU of Britain’s intention to leave, as May stood up in the House of Commons to make a statement to MPs.

Addressing a press conference half an hour later, Tusk said: “There is no need to pretend that this is a happy day, neither in Brussels or in London. After all most Europeans, including almost half the British voters, wish that we would stay together not drift apart.”

Tusk said that Brexit would bind the remaining 27 member states together, and that the council and the European commission had a strong mandate to protect the EU’s interests. But he added: “As for me I will not pretend I am happy…”

One positive development following Brexit. It brought the other 27 member states  of the EU with a population of close to half a billion people closer together with no one of its present leaders ready to call a referendum or announce they would be leaving the EU 

EU-Digest