Johnson fails EU trade deal and blames May

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is preparing new laws that overturn previous agreements with the EU on a trade agreement. The current talks on a British-European trade agreement thus seem to have failed.

The Johnson government is still reversing the agreements on a 'level playing field' for companies (no false competition due to government support) and the customs provisions for (the British province) Northern Ireland. According to the usually well-established Financial Times, Prime Minister Johnson will issue a statement on Wednesday.

In October last year, Johnson and the EU reached an agreement on the terms of the British exit from the EU. London and Brussels are now trying to agree on a 'post-Brexit' trade deal, but there seems to be little progress. "If we can't agree by [October 15], then I don't see a free trade agreement going to come between us, and we should both accept that and move on," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday.

He compared the future UK trade situation without a EU trade agreement to Australia, with both countries bound by global WTO trade tariffs. British industry and the agricultural sector call this a specter because they risk losing a large part of their exports to EU countries, and will have to pay high import duties on the import of EU products.

Yesterday, Brexit hardliners within the Conservative Party already hinted at a break because Theresa May's previous British government would have made 'wrong deals' with the EU from the very beginning, leaving the British still stuck to agreements with the EU after Brexit. . They now want it to come down to a hard-no-deal Brexit with Johnson, although the House of Commons rejected it three times last year.

If no deal is reached, Britain would have a trading relationship with the EU like the one with Australia, which would be "a good result," Johnson said on Wednesday. “As a government, we are preparing, at our borders and in our ports, to be ready. We will be in full control of our laws, our rules and our fishing waters ”.

EU diplomats were appalled and warned that such a move would erode Britain's global prestige and increase the likelihood of a tumultuous Brexit on Dec. 31. Also, it actually means that the trade talks, which are continuing in London this week, are doomed to fail.

One of the insiders tells the Financial Times that the move will “clearly and deliberately” undermine last October's commitments to avoid a hard border at Northern Ireland. The Northern Irish politicians have already been shocked at Johnson's 'backtracking'.

There must be a deal before the end of the year, because then the transition period that started after the start of Brexit will expire at the beginning of this year. During that transition period, the UK will still adhere to EU rules.

In a statement released by the Prime Minister's office on Sunday, Johnson announced to the EU on Monday that October 15 was the deadline for reaching an agreement. In doing so, he reiterates that London does not want to extend the current transition phase.