During the plenary session (10-13 February 2020) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on a resolution setting out MEPs’ stance on an ambitious new EU-UK partnership. Any final future agreement will need the approval of the European Parliament as a whole before it can enter into force. Statements by Nikolina BRNJAC, Croatian Presidency, and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

BRNJAC, Nikolina (HR)

negotiations on future EU-UK relations (T)

Negotiating mandate for negotiations for a new partnership with the UK: extracts from the opening statements

SOUNDBITE (English), Nikolina BRNJAC, Croatian Presidency, We are well aware that the line of the U.K. government is to put an end to the free movement of persons. We should see to it that the future relationship that we will start to negotiate shortly will be ambitious enough in terms of mobility.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, When we agreed the political declaration with the United Kingdom, we ambitioned a zero tariffs and a zero quota trade relation for all goods. Something we have never, ever before offered to anybody else ! A new model of trade. A unique ambition in terms of access to the single market. But of course, this would require corresponding guarantees on fair competition and the protection of social, environmental and consumer standards.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, If we take the Canada model and this is a model the Prime Minister Johnson referred to. Of course, our deal with Canada eliminates tariffs on a wide set of goods, but not on all. Of course our deal with Canada eliminates most quotas, but certainly not all. For instance, there are still quotas on beef and sweet corn. And of course, we still have our standards that have to be respected. And honestly, I was a little bit surprised to hear the prime minister of the United Kingdom speak about the Australian model. Australia, without any doubt, is a strong and the like minded partner. But the European Union does not have a trade agreement with Australia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, It is not the time to lower social protection or to be loup warm on climate action. It is not the time to decrease in terms of competition rules. I've heard ambition in Boris Johnson's speech, ambition on minimum wage, ambition on parental payments, and he has an ally in me, what that is concerned. I have heard ambition on cutting carbon emissions. Ambition on guaranteeing that our firms are competing and full fairness. This is what we also want. Let us formally agree on these objectives. We can trigger an upward dynamic competition that would benefit both the United Kingdom and the European Union. To our British friends, I say it's in our mutual interest. And most importantly, it will be consistent with the values we share, values of openness, values of fairness, values of social justice and free enterprise. And these are not only the values for the good old times. These are values to stay.