France has warned UK to expect a tough time with its post-Brexit proceedings and trade negotiations. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian has hinted that both parties would rip each other part as both sides look to convert the deal into their favor. He also claimed that it would not be an easy task for the Kingdom to struck a free trade deal by the end of the year. The UK government said it want the pact on the basis of a friendly cooperation between sovereign equals. Boris Johnson’s chief Brexit aide and negotiator David Frost is expected to provide more on the UK’s terms of negotiations; he would address French and other European parties in Brussels later.
Frost in his speech is expected to be content about the contents of the deal agreed by the EU with Canada in 2016 but would certainly no entertain any form of regulatory alignment or new Brexit terms with the Union from 2021 onwards.
The Brits officially parted way the European two weeks ago however, it still maintains trade with the privileges of a member under a transition which will conclude on Dec 31, 2020. Talks on the future course of action will begin in the ensuing month once the Union’s 27 members have built consensus on the negotiating mandate.
Addressing a security summit in Munich on Sunday, the French Foreign Minister asserted that two sides i.e. EU and United Kingdom lie poles apart on a range of issues.
Mr. Le Drian said: “I think that on trade issues and the mechanism for future relations, which we are going to start on, we are going to rip each other apart. But that is part of negotiations, everyone will defend their own interests.”
Le Drian, considered a close aide of French Premier Emmanuel Macron, is the latest senior EU negotiator who predicted the hard Brexit for Johnson and company. Ursula von der Leyen who presides over the EU and chief negotiator of the Union Michel Barnier have previously gave the signals about the difficulty of the agreement.
EU has consistently warned – when the country was working on the divergence – the Britain of losing the high-quality market access post-Brexit as per social and environmental standards set by the bloc.
The European Parliament yester week demanded UK to follow the rules of the European Union in a host of areas including Chemicals regulation, subsidies given to companies and food labelling as a procedural agreement over the dynamic alignment. But authorities in UK have repeatedly played down on a close regulatory mechanism. A particularly bruising battle over fishing rights and access of the bloc to UK waters is expected as the deal unfolds.
Mr. Johnson in turn, remarked that his country will act as an independent coastal state asserting control over his its own fisheries.
Talking about the Kingdom’s stance on the issue, a Downing Street spokesperson maintained: “Our approach is clear – we are not asking for anything special, bespoke or unique, but are looking for a deal like those the EU has struck previously with other friendly countries like Canada. We want a relationship based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, one centered on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values.”
Brexit as it happened would not be an easy job to finish for Boris Johnson and bitter negotiations are expected between the parties.
