Live replay of the debate on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU during the plenary session in Strasbourg (16-19/09/2019). The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brexit (T)

article 50 of the Lisbon treaty (T)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

JUNCKER, Jean-Claude (LU)

BARNIER, Michel (FR)

TUPPURAINEN, Tytti (FI)

The UK’s withdrawal from the EU: opening statements by Tytti TUPPURAINEN, for the Finnish Presidency, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC and Michel BARNIER, EC Chief Negotiator for Article 50 Negotiations with the UK

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: Overall Mr. President on our board members we have one small gather to discuss the UK withdrawal from the European Union. It is an unfortunate situation and many citizens and businesses continue to suffer from the uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: In July the UK got a new government and a new prime minister. Unfortunately it is increasingly clear that this has not helped to clarify the situation or the UK's negocitation position when it comes to the most difficult questions such as the Irish border, the UK has not tabled any new concrete proposals yet. Furthermore opinions in the parliament in London remain divided. Only the firm rejection of a no deal Brexit has been able to attract the majority.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: Still the UK government is insisting on its red lines at the deadline of October 30 Paris is fast approaching. We are faced with more rather than less uncertainty. This rather bleak situation should however not distract us from our priority which remains an orderly withdrawal to put an end to the uncertainty caused by Brexit.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: I hope that we can still achieve an orderly Brexit. This is why we have asked the UK to put forward concrete details and operational ideas regarding what appears to be the main stumbling block namely how to ensure the absence of a hot border on the island of Ireland while respecting the Good Friday Agreement and protecting the integrity of the single market. The latest developments. In Westminster and the call for a further extension make it very difficult to predict how things will unfold. We have to acknowledge that currently a no deal on 30 first October is a quite likely outcome.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: Not at least because the UK government keeps on repeating they are ready to leave without a deal. Therefore. Therefore ladies and gentlemen preparedness efforts have to be stepped up and Mrs finalized quickly that EU and national level in close cooperation among member states and with the commission building on the last package of measures tabled by the commission and on those already adopted. These new legislative activities at this early stage of the new institutional cycle will add to an already heavy agenda.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: We are confident that by working together we can deliver. I am encouraged in this risk. Interest risk. But in this respect by the speed of which our two institutions were able to reach agreement on the previous Brexit related proposals. The presidency with your cooperation is determined to facilitate the adoption of the last batch of contingency measures in good time.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: While the point of departure for the future relationship will largely depend on whether the UK decides to leave with or without the deal we will in any scenario need to address our fundamental priorities with the UK. Safeguarding citizens rights honouring the UK's financial obligations resulting from its membership of the EU and providing an assurance to preserve the integrity of the single market. The level playing field and the stability on the island of Ireland.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: In the meantime this uncertainty and the tensions it generates are further testing our unity and resolve. It is therefore all the more necessary. On the one hand to resist the temptation of bilateral deals at sectoral or national level and on the other hand to reflect our common purpose in the swift adoption of the necessary contingency measures.

Tytti TUPPURAINEN: Now ladies and gentlemen let me conclude by noting the large degree of convergence that exists between your draft resolution and the priorities of the council. This is a clear illustration of the commonality of purpose of our two institutions as regards Brexit. So thank you ladies and gentlemen very much for your attention and I look forward to this discussion.

David SASSOLI: . Thank you very much indeed. Minister it is now my pleasure to ask Juncker Juncker to address the House to thank him for being here.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Good morning. Good morning ladies and gentlemen thank you very much indeed for that invitation. It's always a real pleasure for me to be able to address the Parliament to talk to and with the Parliament.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Over the last five years the European Commission has always been able to count on the far sightedness cooperation and support of this assembly and that applies equally to the work we have done together on the UK withdrawal. And this chamber I know remains open minded and it remains hard at work.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Michel Barnier I myself lunched with Prime Minister Johnson on Monday. Now you'll be hardly be surprised to learn that the Prime Minister assured us that he continues to want an agreement. But whatever happens he United Kingdom will leave the European Union on the thirty first of October with or without an agreement. And that is why the risk of a no deal is palpable.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: These are these are our best friends and groupies. Don't be surprised. That they are shouting..

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: That means that the risk of a no deal remains real and basically is going to come down to a decision by the united government that will never be the choice the preferred option of the European Union. And that's why I think it is better now to focus on what we can do in terms of concluding that deal something which is desirable and still in my view possible.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Nor will you be surprised to learn that the main sticking point is the safety net. The backstop. In other words no. Everybody by now has heard of the backstop. But not everybody understands why the backstop was agreed between the 27 and the UK government. The safety net or the backstop is an operational solution to a practical problem a problem which is caused by Brexit for the island of Ireland and would not have come about if the United Kingdom had not decided to leave the European Union.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: The backstop is designed to do three things. First of all to avoid a physical hard border on the island of Ireland. Secondly to safeguard the integrity of the single market and above all the place of Ireland in that market. And thirdly to protect North-South cooperation and the All Ireland economy which is absolutely crucial for stability and peace in Ireland and indeed enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. I said to Prime Minister Johnson that I had no emotional attachment to the safety net to the backstop.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: But I Stated that I stand by the objectives that it is designed to achieve and that is why I called on the Prime Minister to come forward with operational proposals in writing for practical steps which would allow us to achieve those objectives. Now until such time as those proposals have been presented I will not be able to tell you looking you straight in the eye that any real progress has been achieved. But what I can tell you is and this perhaps runs counter to many press articles that have appeared in the UK.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: I can tell you that the talks we had were friendly constructive and in part positive. The commission is prepared to work day in day out morning until night one with a few breaks to try and find the technical and political solutions we need. But I'm not sure we'll get there is very little time remaining. But what I do know is that we have to keep trying. I asked the British Prime Minister to spell out the alternative arrangements that he is envisaging.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: And I said that there should be political negotiations in the positive sense of the term between the UK and the EU. And I will entrust my colleague Michel Barnier as well as the UK Brexit Minister to take up and pursue those negotiations.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: So that they don't remain purely at technical level. In July. Of 2016 the 27 countries concluded that it would be a mistake to focus exclusively on Brexit. We are determined to forge a stronger union of 27 and improve the daily lives of all our citizens in the process. I spoke recently before this Parliament to my State of the Union address and also to outline my proposals for the future and all European leaders welcomed the program in their meeting in Bratislava.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Members of the European Union have spent two and a half years negotiating with the UK looking for ways to organize diverse. During this time the European Union has shown great unity of purpose with solidarity with the member states most affected. This unity is our most precious resource and our greatest asset. It will continue to guide me over the next weeks and I'm sure it will continue to guide this house.

Jean-Claude JUNCKER: Also in the future. Thank you for this. Get out said the president.

David SASSOLI: Thank you very much indeed. President Juncker. Now my pleasure to give the floor to the chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. It's your Sarkozy doll.

Michel BARNIER: Thank you President and good morning one and all. Madam Minister. Thank you for allowing me after President Juncker has taken the floor to add a few things to what he had said very clearly. I'd like particularly to come back in this short statement two key two key current points in our ongoing discussions with the British the question of Ireland and Northern Ireland and that of the future relationship which is at least as important because we will need to rebuild a partnership with this great country a friend and ally our neighbour.

Michel BARNIER: The UK has been that and will continue to be that in the future. President Juncker reminded us of that fundamental request of the UK government has been the removal of the backstop or at least its replacement.

Michel BARNIER: As you know the UK and the EU, the EU and the UK reached an agreement in November 2018. Almost a year ago, on the backstop it was approved by the 28 heads of government and received full support from your parliament.

Michel BARNIER: Now why has this subject become such a central issue for all of us. Well because this is no small matter because it is in Ireland that Brexit creates the most problems. It is in Ireland that it harbours the most risks. It is the only place where the United Kingdom has a land border with the EU.

Michel Barnier: There is a specific policy which as you know is linked to an often tragic history. Provisions are enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement which the UK and Ireland are signatories to and have committed to upholding. So the position from the side of the European Union has never been an ideological one it has always been a pragmatic one. The backstop provided a kind of safety net insurance that would allow the preservation under all circumstances.

Michel BARNIER: Of the three requirements which the president of the Commission has recalled this morning. We don't want to go back to a physical border in or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. We want to protect the provisions of the Good Friday agreement fully and we want to protect the integrity of the single market our single market and we want to ensure that the whole island economy the North-South cooperation provided for in the Good Friday Agreement and I would recall that the mapping exercise that we undertook together with the UK authorities this shows just.

Michel BARNIER: How much this cooperation between the north and the South has been supported by the EU framework and budget. The UK government the new UK government in Luxembourg this week outlined the aspects of the backstop which they don't like. That's not enough however to move towards achieving a solution. We need a legally operative solution in the withdrawal agreement which fully responds to each one of the problems which addresses each one of the risks created by Brexit. And this is the objective which we agreed upon clearly with the government of Theresa May.

Michel BARNIER: Let me just give you one specific example which I know very well because a few years ago I was minister of agricultural and federal fisheries. Any live animal any product food product. Which comes to Northern Ireland, from Great Britain. Not only enters onto the island of Ireland the Irish market but also the Polish, Danish German and French markets immediately simply by virtue of being present on the island of Ireland.

Michel BARNIER: And therefore we need to apply controls to protect consumers. Ensure food security food safety prevent animal health risks. We don't have a short memory and nor do the consumers of Northern Ireland.

Michel BARNIER: The island of Ireland and the consumers of the. Rest of the United Kingdom. So once again. There are linked to the backstop specific guarantees which we need and all the citizens of the island of Ireland need for peace and stability for the ongoing daily life and economic activity on the island. And I say that also for the safety of produce for food safety and the protection of national products. That's what controls also achieve.

Michel BARNIER: When we're looking at products from beyond the borders of the single market. So that's one specific example. We understand also the remarks of the UK prime minister. On the democratic or non-democratic nature of the bank stop.

Michel BARNIER: But it is up to the UK Government to ensure the support of the North Island institutions to the withdrawal agreement that would be signed on behalf of all of the UK. And we've already provided for a number of provisions in the withdrawal agreement on the application of the provisions in the implementation of the backstop.

Michel BARNIER: If it were to be activated and on this matter as on others. Allow me to echo President Juncker Juncker in saying that we are open to any UK proposal and are willing to work day and night towards progress. The other subject which is of key importance and I'll close on this point. Is that of our shared ambition for the future relationship.

Michel BARNIER: What we've called the strategic partnership which we need to build or rebuild together with the UK after Brexit. And that's the objective of the second document alongside the withdrawal agreement which is the political declaration which was approved. Together with the UK in November last year and which really opens up the path to broad cooperation in the area of economy police judiciary defence and foreign policy.

Michel BARNIER: Now in this economic aspect it sets out towards a Free Trade Agreement. But in the existing text The door is open to a higher ambition. If there is a shared desire in that area and obviously we want to be as ambitious as possible in building our future economic relationship with the UK for example through a customs union and this economics relation should be accompanied by a guarantees of a level playing field.

Michel BARNIER: And here again, Members ,I recognize that this is an expression which is somewhat technical but behind this expression of a level playing field. There are human. Economic territorial realities and choices which the UK needs to make but to strike the right balance between the right level of regulation and the economic market. The UK Government today I'd like to emphasize this point which is to revisit the commitments made by Theresa May in this area of a level playing field when we're talking about such an important such a large in such a closed country whose trade is half of their trade is with us.

Michel BARNIER: Such a future agreement would require a clear common basis in order to make things absolutely clear. We need to state that the level of ambition of a future agreement which we would negotiate with the UK the level of ambition will clearly depend upon the guarantees that we will have and that we will together have put down on paper social environmental competition guarantees. I wanted to talk about these two points as they relate to discussions currently underway with the government of Boris Johnson.

Michel BARNIER: We haven't lost the overview of the whole however I just wanted to say that since the beginning we've been very much focussed on an orderly departure which is far more valuable than a no deal situation. I would recommend that nobody underestimate the consequences of no deal for the UK first and foremost obviously but for us as well in the absence of an agreement. We want this agreement to protect the rights of four and a half million European citizens. In the UK and British nationals in each one of our EU member states and the draft agreement secures those rights. We also want to ensure that.

Michel BARNIER: Rights are protected for those who work abroad. So it's very important that everything that was agreed together by 28 is continued with 28 and we want to guarantee peace and stability. It's a long road but we want to create the conditions which are necessary for confidence to build our future relationship as outlined in the political declaration. If the UK leaves without a deal. Ladies and gentlemen members of the European Parliament I would recall that. These questions don't just disappear.

Michel BARNIER: They have been regulated in the withdrawal agreement. They have been covered but they still remain. Whether we're talking about the peace in Ireland citizens rights budgetary issues they will all still need to be settled prior to a future relationship with the UK. The consequences of Brexit are not theoretical. It's often been said that they are innumerable and often underestimated in terms of their social and human impact financial and budgetary impact, their legal and technical impact. They are considerable. And that is something that is covered in your resolution today.

Michel BARNIER: Almost three years after the U K referendum I don't think that we should be spending time pretending to negotiate. I think we need to move forward with determination. We need to do so with ongoing cooperation and transparency on working on behalf of the governments that we represent. And I'd like to particularly thank the current presidency for their contribution and the contribution of the Brexit. Brexit steering group and all of the Groups and Committees of your parliament. It will always be and it has always been the attitude that has been adopted in this extraordinary complex negotiations. Thank you very much.

David SASSOLI: Thank you very much indeed.