European and British negotiators have not yet succeeded in reaching a breakthrough after overnight talks for an agreement on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU.
An EU diplomat said further discussions will take place today. Time is running out for the negotiators. If no agreement is reached before October 31, the United Kingdom will leave the EU without any transition arrangement.
London and Brussels appeared close to a draft agreement yesterday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to have made significant concessions on the Irish border issue. Specifically, he is reported to have agreed to customs checks in the Irish Sea, something his predecessor Theresa May had firmly rejected because it would undermine the union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.
The key issue is whether, in the event of customs checks at sea, the British province of Northern Ireland would or would not remain subject to EU rules on import duties and taxes. In that case, the United Kingdom would remain partially connected to EU laws and regulations. Most British politicians are strongly opposed to this.
Johnson was reported by The Guardian to have planned to update his cabinet on the status of talks at the end of the day. The Northern Irish political ally of Johnson’s government, the Northern Irish unionist DUP party, has reportedly objected to the concessions the British had made in Brussels.
The negotiators want to present a proposal to the 27 EU member states on Thursday, as a two-day summit of European government leaders begins. If the EU leaders agree on a deal, British Prime Minister Johnson must also get the agreement through his parliament by Saturday. Parliament had rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal three times before. One of the biggest stumbling blocks is the status of the border between British Northern Ireland and EU member state Ireland.
British Prime Minister Johnson has consistently said he will stick to leaving on October 31, with or without a deal. However, a majority in the British parliament is definitely opposed to leaving the EU without a deal. Against the government’s wishes, parliament passed a law to prevent that scenario.
The law, called the Benn Act, states that Johnson must come forward with a deal by Saturday at the latest. That deal must also be approved by parliament. If the prime minister fails to do so, he must request a Brexit extension. The EU member states would still have to agree to that.