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Merkel sees progress in the Brexit talks - and demands compromises on both sides

2020-10-16T00:00:48.227Z


Chancellor Angela Merkel called for compliance after the meeting of the EU heads of government - not only from Great Britain. There is "a lot of work to be done".


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Chancellor Merkel on a trade pact with Great Britain: "It would be better if we had such an agreement"

Photo: Olivier Hoslet / dpa

Chancellor Angela Merkel sees "some movement" in the dispute over an EU trade agreement with Great Britain.

The EU has asked London to continue to be willing to compromise in terms of an agreement, said Merkel after a meeting of EU heads of government in Brussels.

"That of course means that we too have to make compromises. Each side has its red lines."

The summit had previously appealed to Great Britain to move forward in the negotiations.

However, both sides are apparently still a long way from reaching an agreement in the Brexit dispute.

"In some places things have moved well. In other places there is still a lot of work to be done," said the Chancellor.

Overall, an agreement would make sense for both sides.

The British side had previously reacted piqued to the EU's demands to move forward in the negotiations.

British negotiator David Frost wrote on Twitter that he was “disappointed” with the line taken by the EU states and “surprised” that the EU “no longer committed to working intensively on a future partnership”.

EU chief negotiator Barnier still sees opportunities for an agreement

"If necessary, we have to live without it, but I think it would be better if we had such an agreement," said Merkel.

The EU negotiator Michel Barnier said, however, that he still sees opportunities for an agreement.

He had previously offered to significantly intensify negotiations on a trade pact.

The EU summit agreed to continue negotiating a trade agreement for a few more weeks.

The heads of state and government also decided to prepare more intensively for a no-deal scenario.

French President Emmanuel Macron had stressed that his country was ready for this too.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to decide on Friday whether Great Britain will continue negotiations.

He originally set the EU a deadline of October 15 for an agreement.

Great Britain left the EU at the end of January, but is still a member of the European internal market and the customs union until the end of the year.

If there is no agreement on future trade relations by then, this could have serious consequences for companies and, for example, the EU fishing industry.

The EU side believes that negotiations should be concluded by the end of October so that any treaty can still be ratified.

"High willingness" for more ambitious climate goals

In addition to the trade agreement, according to Merkel, the EU heads of state also discussed proposals by the EU Commission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Merkel said there was "a high level of willingness" to respond to the proposals.

At the beginning of the summit she had already promised support for the Commission's goal.

Eleven other states had also followed suit.

The worsening situation throughout Europe in the corona pandemic had meanwhile caused a stir in the run-up to the summit.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had to leave the meeting shortly after it started when she learned that there had been a Corona case in her office.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki had not even traveled to Brussels, but had also gone into domestic isolation because he had contact with a corona infected person in his vicinity.

According to the Chancellor, the EU states want to coordinate more closely on the corona situation in their countries and consult more regularly in video conferences.

The question of how to get out of the pandemic has kept everyone busy because of the pressure on health systems and the economy.

The current situation is "unprecedented" and gives "cause for serious concern," said Merkel.

Icon: The mirror

fek / dpa / Reuters / AFP

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-10-16

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