Status: 02.03.2020 8:22 a.m..
The EU and the UK start negotiations on their future relationship today. Prime Minister Johnson shows little willingness to compromise.
By Thomas Spickhofen, ARD-Studio London.
Free trade agreement very much – but not at any price: The British government has not tired of repeating this for weeks. A binding adjustment to EU standards, even if they change: That is a price that one is not prepared to pay, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “We don’t ask the EU to follow our rule changes in every single step, and that’s why the EU shouldn’t ask ap-news.space us to.”
The document in which the British government describes its negotiation goals is 30 pages long. One of the first sticking points is likely to be fishing. The British want their own agreement, which is renegotiated every year.
A key point, explains cabinet chief Michael Gove in the lower house. As an independent coastal state, control of the waters will be regained, Gove said. “And we will not link access to it with our access to EU markets. Our fishing grounds are our own resource. We will only allow other nations to access our resources on our terms.”
What happens after Brexit?
“Will not be involved in negotiations”
However, for the British, fishing is of high symbolic importance, but not economic. This is why the fishermen fear that their interests will be sacrificed for others, for example those of the financial industry.
Farmers do the same, says Minette Batters of the farmers’ union. One is concerned, has not talked about anything else for three years “We do not know what the government is negotiating for us, we are not involved. Under no circumstances should we open our borders to cheap imports. The imports must meet the same standards that apply here.”
Johnson: Want a great free trade deal.
In June London wants to take stock of whether further negotiations make sense at all or whether one should prepare for a farewell without an agreement on future relations.
Johnson is still being asked these days whether he would accept that compromises have to be made in such negotiations. No, says Johnson. “We want a great free trade agreement, we can work that out now. We buy a lot from our friends, they buy a lot from us. Now is the chance to do even more trade with each other beyond what is already in existence.”
Also today, the UK government may present its guidelines for negotiating a free trade agreement with the US. They are supposed to run in parallel and also be completed this year.
Start of the GB-EU negotiations from a London perspective Thomas Spickhofen, ARD London 01.03.2020 9:58 p.m..