According to politico there's a little bit of a split showing in the EU over Brexit. Some capitals are seeing Barnier as a bit too eager to close a deal. In general the members are in favor of a deal, but only if that deal is good for the EU, and it's not certain such a deal is still possible at this time. The Council of this week may pressure the Commission into publishing the no deal plans.
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As time runs out the EU's bluffs still keep getting called.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/1123/11...brexit-latest/
It was funny to see how holding a British passport would disqualify an actor for the role of prince William.
More interesting was to see that Esma is quite willing to hurt London in its attempts to repatriate business to the Union.
The UK grants equivalence to EU financial entities, where the EU only reprocicates where that's in the interest of the Union.
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I guess the best way to describe this month is the last month of Brexit. Things are looking up for no deal. It's gonna be fun to see British sovereignty trying to deal with the real world.
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Seems that Barnier was told by EU members that there is no need to rush into a deal just because the transition is coming to an end.
Appears Great Britain is not going anywhere any time soon.
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Looks like we're in the last hours of negotiations on the basis of the political declaration that accompanied the WA. I hope it ends in a no deal conclusion.
Wipes the slate clean so we can start talking again some time later when the British side understands we owe them nothing.
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I'm still confused how you think the UK holds all the cards. You're more dependent on the EU for trade than vice versa after all (not to say no deal wouldn't hurt us, but it'd hurt you more).
I do expect negotiations and a deal, but compromise comes from both sides, but from your posts it seems you expect the EU to cave in on all fronts for some reason.
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
I think a deal now won't be any good for us.
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I expect a negotiation but it's a negotiation that will end close to what the UK is asking for. Which is why in the tone of our posts I'm happy and Hazir isn't.
This isn't a game of Poker but to use a metaphor there are two remaining key issues to solve and the UK holds an Ace for both.
Fish: If there's no deal then the UK gains all our fish and has total 100% control of our waters. EU gets nothing. Ace for UK.
LPF: If there's no deal the UK gets total control of its laws and there's no LPF at all. Ace for UK.
Pocket Aces for the UK.
The Ace the EU held was the potential fear of no deal for the UK, which was sufficient to make May fold. But it seems the UK is now of sterner stuff, so as long as the UK doesn't fold the UK gets what it wants on all remaining issues if there is no deal. The EU only gets anything on these remaining issues if there is a deal. That means the UK can stonewall and walk away, the EU can only walk away and get nothing or get whatever the UK agrees to.
It's always easier to be the one who can walk away and get what they want from walking. That is British fishermen etc not French ones.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
I'm not miserable at all, I think no deal is better than a deal rushed into. And it looks very much like there will be no deal.
I could positively not care less about fish. Not even being aware of the fact that 'taking back your fish' would amount to stealing the fish from its rightful owners changes that.
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Dream on boy, you seem to be unable to smell the coffee. A blocking minority of members have let it be known that Barnier has been too greedy to get a deal and that if there was going to be any move it would have to be away from any concessions on the EU side.
This isn't a Macron veto; this is a hard push back against a bad deal. Von der Leyen doesn't have a mandate any more generous than Barnier.
And need I remind you that De Pfeffel's skills as a negotiator are absolutely horrendous. Last time around he handed us NI without realizing it.
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The Wheel of Time turns
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
This morning F. Timmermans said on Dutch TV that the EU should be firm in the last lap of the talks and not give in to UK demands. Nor should the EU be afraid to walk away from the talks altogether.
Now, you could try to shove this to the side as 'grandstanding', but that leaves ut with the problem that the people who'd that grandstanding targetted at, wouldn't be able to understand.
Makes me feel optimistic about the chances of a no deal departure. It really would be much better for us than accept a sub-prime deal just to save some euro's now.
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Guardian report claims the EU has accepted UK demands but with a transition of 5-7; the UK originally offered 3, the EU originally asked for no change, then a 10 year transition.
Entirely reasonable compromise if so.
You don't seriously think a little bit of fish is going to solve this issue right?
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Think that, if there is a deal, it'll come down to IM & finance bills. If govt. goes through w/ finance bill—and reverses changes to IM bill—there won't be a deal. If UK govt. accepts defeats on these, a deal will be more likely—even with the damage done to goodwill by the UK's demonstrated willingness to break int'l law. Fish is theater, LPF will be possible to arrive at a compromise—but the integrity of the withdrawal agreement moving forward is not something the EU is willing to compromise on, knowing what headaches these faithless chancers will present in the future.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."