Statement by the European Commission following the extraordinary meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee.

"Following the publication by the UK government of the draft “United Kingdom Internal Market Bill” on 9 September 2020, Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič called for an extraordinary meeting of the EU-UK Joint Committee to request the UK government to elaborate on its intentions and to respond to the EU's serious concerns. A meeting took place today in London between Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič and Michael Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Vice-President stated, in no uncertain terms, that the timely and full implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland – which Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government agreed to, and which the UK Houses of Parliament ratified, less than a year ago – is a legal obligation. The European Union expects the letter and spirit of this Agreement to be fully respected. Violating the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement would break international law, undermine trust and put at risk the ongoing future relationship negotiations.

The Withdrawal Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2020 and has legal effects under international law. Since that point in time, neither the EU nor the UK can unilaterally change, clarify, amend, interpret, disregard or disapply the agreement. The Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland is an essential part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Its aim is to protect peace and stability on the island of Ireland and was the result of long, detailed and difficult negotiations between the EU and the UK.

Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič stated that if the Bill were to be adopted, it would constitute an extremely serious violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and of international law.

If adopted as proposed, the draft bill would be in clear breach of substantive provisions of the Protocol: Article 5 (3) & (4) and Article 10 on custom legislation and State aid, including amongst other things, the direct effect of the Withdrawal Agreement (Article 4). In addition, the UK government would be in violation of the good faith obligation under the Withdrawal Agreement (Article 5) as the draft Bill jeopardises the attainment of the objectives of the Agreement.

The EU does not accept the argument that the aim of the draft Bill is to protect the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement. In fact, it is of the view that it does the opposite.

Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič called on the UK government to withdraw these measures from the draft Bill in the shortest time possible and in any case by the end of the month. He stated that by putting forward this Bill, the UK has seriously damaged trust between the EU and the UK. It is now up to the UK government to re-establish that trust.

He reminded the UK government that the Withdrawal Agreement contains a number of mechanisms and legal remedies to address violations of the legal obligations contained in the text – which the European Union will not be shy in using."

Déclaration de la Commission européenne à l'issue de la réunion extraordinaire du comité mixte UE-Royaume-Uni.

"À la suite de la publication par le gouvernement britannique, le 9 septembre 2020, du projet de loi sur le marché intérieur du Royaume-Uni (United Kingdom Internal Market Bill), le vice-président Maroš Šefčovič a appelé à une réunion extraordinaire du comité mixte UE-Royaume-Uni afin de demander au gouvernement britannique de préciser ses intentions et de répondre aux graves préoccupations de l'UE. Une réunion a eu lieu aujourd'hui à Londres entre le vice-président Maroš Šefčovič et Michael Gove, chancelier du Duché de Lancaster.

Le vice-président a rappelé, sans la moindre ambiguïté, que la mise en œuvre intégrale et dans les temps de l'accord de retrait - y compris du protocole sur l'Irlande et l'Irlande du Nord - auquel ont souscrit le Premier ministre Boris Johnson et son gouvernement, et que les chambres du Parlement britannique ont ratifié il y a moins d'un an, était une obligation légale. L'Union européenne s'attend à ce que la lettre et l'esprit de cet accord soient pleinement respectés. Une violation des termes de l'accord de retrait violerait le droit international, saperait la confiance et mettrait en péril les négociations en cours sur la relation future des parties.

L'accord de retrait est entré en vigueur le 1^er février 2020 et produit des effets juridiques en droit international. Depuis cette date, ni l'Union européenne, ni le Royaume-Uni ne peuvent unilatéralement modifier, clarifier, amender, interpréter ou ignorer l'accord ou en écarter l'application. Le protocole sur l'Irlande et l'Irlande du Nord est un élément essentiel de l'accord de retrait. Son objectif est de préserver la paix et la stabilité sur l'île d'Irlande et est le résultat de négociations longues, détaillées et difficiles entre l'UE et le Royaume-Uni.

Le vice-président Maroš Šefčovič a confirmé que si le projet de loi devait être adopté, il constituerait une violation extrêmement grave de l'accord de retrait et du droit international.

S'il était adopté tel quel, il violerait clairement des dispositions de fond du protocole, à savoir l'article 5, paragraphe 3 et 4, et l'article 10, portant respectivement sur la législation douanière et les aides d'État, et compromettrait, entre autres, l'effet direct de l'accord de retrait (article 4). En outre, le gouvernement britannique violerait l'obligation d'agir de bonne foi imposée par l'accord de retrait (article 5), puisque le projet de loi compromet la réalisation des objectifs de l'accord.

L'UE conteste l'argument selon lequel l'objectif du projet de loi est de protéger l'accord du Vendredi Saint (ou accord de Belfast). Elle considère en fait qu'il a l'effet contraire.

Le vice-président Maroš Šefčovič a appelé le gouvernement britannique à retirer ces mesures du projet de loi dans les plus brefs délais et, en tout état de cause, avant la fin du mois. Il a déclaré qu'en présentant ce projet de loi, le Royaume-Uni avait gravement nui à la confiance entre l'Union européenne et le Royaume-Uni. Il appartient maintenant au gouvernement britannique de rétablir cette confiance.

Il a rappelé au gouvernement britannique que l'accord de retrait contenait un certain nombre de mécanismes et de voies de recours légal, qui permettent de réagir à des violations des obligations légales contenues dans le texte, et que l'Union européenne n'hésitera pas à utiliser."

The UKCG and the EP political group leaders issued the following statement after meeting with Chief EU Negotiator Michel Barnier and Joint Committee Co-Chair Maroš Šefčovič, on Friday.

"The European Parliament’s UK Coordination Group (UKCG) met today to assess the impact of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement with EU-UK Joint Committee Co-Chair Maroš Šefčovič and to evaluate the ongoing negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship with EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier.

EP political group leaders and UKCG members are deeply concerned and disappointed that the UK Government published an Internal Market Bill that clearly represents a serious and unacceptable breach of international law. It violates the Withdrawal Agreement that was signed and ratified by the current UK Government and Parliament less than a year ago. The Internal Market Bill gravely damages the trust and credibility that the European Parliament has already said is “an essential element of any negotiation”, thus putting at risk the ongoing negotiations on the future relationship.

The European Parliament supports EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič in asking the UK government to withdraw these measures from the bill immediately; by the end of September, at the very latest. The European Parliament’s UK Coordination Group stresses that:

the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, has legally binding force regardless of whether or not the EU and the UK conclude any new treaty governing their future relationship; and
any issue regarding the implementation of its provisions should be addressed by the Joint Committee and in no case unilaterally by any party to the agreement.

The European Parliament expects the UK government to uphold the rule of law and demands nothing less than the full implementation of all provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, which is essential to protect the Good Friday Agreement and peace and stability on the island of Ireland.

Should the UK authorities breach – or threaten to breach – the Withdrawal Agreement, through the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill in its current form or in any other way, the European Parliament will, under no circumstances, ratify any agreement between the EU and the UK.

Regarding the outcome of the eighth negotiating round, the European Parliament remains committed to an ambitious partnership with the UK. We are disappointed with the continued lack of reciprocal engagement from the UK side on fundamental EU principles and interests.

The European Parliament calls on the UK to work with the EU constructively and find compromises that are in the interests of our citizens and companies on both sides. Any potential deal should not only preserve our interests, but also respect the integrity of the European Union and its single market.

For any deal to take effect, democratic oversight institutions on both sides of the Channel must be able to carry out a meaningful assessment, as stated in the Withdrawal Agreement. The European Parliament recalls that its consent to any deal will only be granted after detailed scrutiny of the legal provisions. The European Parliament will not accept having its democratic oversight curbed by a last-minute deal beyond the end of October."

Signed by EP group leaders:

Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE)

Iratxe GARCÍA PEREZ (S&D, ES)

Dacian CIOLOŞ (Renew, RO)

Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) co-chair

Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE) co-chair

Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT) co-chair

Ryszard LEGUTKO (ECR, PL) co-chair

Martin SCHIRDEWAN (GUE, DE) co-chair

Manon AUBRY (GUE, FR) co-chair

and by the UK Coordination Group:

David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), chair

Bernd LANGE (S&D, DE)

Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR)

Christophe HANSEN (EPP, LU)

Kati PIRI (S&D, NL)

Kris PEETERS (EPP, BE)

Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT)

Morten PETERSEN (Renew, DK)

Gunnar BECK (ID, DE)

Statement by Michel Barnier following Round 8 of negotiations for a new partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

"The eighth round of negotiations on the future EU-UK partnership took place in London this week.

The EU remains committed to an ambitious future partnership with the UK. This would clearly be to the benefit of both sides. Nobody should underestimate the practical, economic and social consequences of a “no deal” scenario.

In order to maximise the chances of a deal, the EU has shown flexibility to work around the UK's red lines and find solutions that fully respect the UK's sovereignty. In particular with regard to the role of the European Court of Justice, the future legislative autonomy of the UK, and fisheries.

However, on its side, the UK has not engaged in a reciprocal way on fundamental EU principles and interests.

Significant differences remain in areas of essential interest for the EU.

The UK is refusing to include indispensable guarantees of fair competition in our future agreement, while requesting free access to our market. We have taken note of the UK government's statement on “A new approach to subsidy control”. But this falls significantly short of the commitments made in the Political Declaration.

Similarly, we are still missing important guarantees on non-regression from social, environmental, labour and climate standards.

Modern trade agreements are about ensuring sustainable and fair partnerships with high standards in areas like the environment, climate, employment, health and safety, and taxation.

These principles are now at the heart of EU trade policy: with the UK, and with other partners around the world.

And they are at the heart of the EU's negotiating mandate. For the EU, its Member States and the European Parliament, any future economic partnership, regardless of its level of ambition, must ensure that competition is both free and fair.

The UK has moreover not engaged on other major issues, such as credible horizontal dispute settlement mechanisms, essential safeguards for judicial cooperation and law enforcement, fisheries, or level playing field requirements in the areas of transport and energy.

There are also many uncertainties about Great Britain's sanitary and phyto-sanitary regime as from 1 January 2021. More clarity is needed for the EU to do the assessment for the third-country listing of the UK.

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To conclude a future partnership, mutual trust and confidence are and will be necessary. The Chief Negotiators and their teams will remain in contact over the coming days.

At the same time, the EU is intensifying its preparedness work to be ready for all scenarios on 1 January 2021."