The leaders of the EU member states decided to prepare for the unfortunate outcome of Brexit with the UK, just in case. The Times reported.
According to a senior official, the heads of the EU countries intend to demand from the European Commission to publish an action plan: this is necessary in case, after Brexit, the EU and the UK abandon the trade deal. He did not specify which specific countries came forward with this intention. The newspaper notes that concern is expressed, for example, by Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
“January 1, 2021 is approaching (when the transition period after Brexit ends – Lenta.ru note ), and we need a safety net,” a source said to The Times.
According to The Times, an agreement between Brussels and London could be signed on November 23. At the same time, according to the official, the requirement to develop emergency measures is a political signal. The EU is allegedly preparing business and people for the fact that the deal will not be concluded on time.
The UK officially left the European Union on 1 February. Until the end of 2020, the parties agreed on a transitional period during which most of the EU laws will continue to operate in the United Kingdom, including trade rules. Before the end of the transition period, Brussels and London had to agree on the format of future relations and conclude a new trade agreement. However, in July 2020, the parties terminated regular negotiations ahead of schedule, since they could not come to an agreement on a number of issues.
The disagreements, in particular, relate to the movement of goods across the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland: the former is part of the EU, the latter withdrew from the association along with London. In addition, the UK does not want to provide access for European fishermen to their areas, as this is incompatible with the country's status as an independent state.
