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Von der Leyen explains the corona rules to Johnson: "Keep your distance!"

2020-12-10T05:15:15.884Z


British Prime Minister Johnson has arrived in Brussels for new Brexit talks - and is tightening the tone. EU Commission chief von der Leyen refers to the applicable corona rules.


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Boris Johnson, Ursula von der Leyen: "You lead a strict regime"

Photo: WPA Pool / Getty Images

The Brexit talks in Brussels between Great Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen began with a corona warning.

"Keep your distance!" Said the German when the two presented themselves to the assembled press.

The two took off their masks for a photo only, then von der Leyen made it clear to their guest that he had to put the mouth and nose protection back on.

"You run a tight regiment," whispered Johnson, and added, "But quite rightly."

Johnson had come to Brussels to have a dinner with the Commission President to discuss the unresolved issues in the negotiations on the Brexit trade pact.

Two phone calls had previously not had the desired effect.

"No prime minister of this country should accept that"

Great Britain left the EU at the end of January.

A contract should be in place by December 31, because then the Brexit transition phase will expire.

Despite months of negotiations, no breakthrough has yet been achieved.

The main points of contention continue to be a fair playing field, scrutiny of a future agreement and fishing rights for EU fishermen in UK waters.

"A good deal is still possible," Johnson said before leaving London.

But he also tightened the tone: The EU insists on some positions that "no prime minister of this country should accept," said Johnson on Wednesday in Parliament in London.

A good deal is still possible, but his country will "flourish mightily" one way or another.

In the morning, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was cautious about the chances of success of the talks: "There is still the chance of an agreement, we are continuing to work on it," she said in the Bundestag.

However, if the conditions on the British side are not acceptable, the EU is also prepared to take a “path without a withdrawal agreement”.

Without an agreement, customs duties would be levied in mutual trade at the turn of the year.

Business associations then expect not only massive traffic jams at the borders in delivery traffic, but also billions in additional costs and revenue losses.

After all: Before the top meeting in Brussels, both sides had resolved an important point of dispute about Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

Accordingly, London has decided not to make unilateral changes to the Brexit agreement that is already in force in this area.

EU Vice-Commission President Maros Sefcovic described this as a possible “positive impulse” for the trade talks.

Should an agreement be reached, it would have to be ratified in the European Parliament.

But there is hardly enough time for this, as the SPD Brexit expert Bernd Lange said.

Parliament does not want a provisional application without ratification.

That would be "a declaration of war," said the MEP.

How this dilemma will be resolved is unclear.

Meanwhile, the UK has signed a deal with Canada on future trade relations after the end of the Brexit transition period.

“This is a great deal for the global UK.

He's securing £ 20 billion worth of trade with a friend and partner who shares our clear commitment to free trade, ”said Economics Secretary Liz Truss.

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Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-12-10

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