EU Ministers are set to approve on Tuesday during the General Affairs Council’s (GAC) session the final negotiation mandate for trade talks with the UK, that outlines the bloc’s red lines and demands, as EU envoys green-lighted on Monday the Brexit mandate and the Council adopted negotiating directives.
“The council has adopted a clear and strong mandate for our negotiator, Michel Barnier. This confirms our readiness to offer an ambitious, wide-ranging and balanced partnership to the UK for the benefit of both sides. The EU is now ready to start negotiations”, said Andreja Metelko-Zgombic, the Croatian Europe Minister in a statement.
According to Reuters, the negotiating mandate for UK trade talks has been approved by EU27.
Through the trade deal, EU seeks to establish a “level playing field” by upholding “common high standards and having corresponding high standards over time with Union standards as a reference point”.
UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has frequently stated that the UK will not abide by high alignment rules and that the country will reject any trade deal that foresees such a condition. UK’s own negotiating mandate is expected to be unveiled on Thursday.
The British PM hosted on Monday the Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and climate change, defence and security topped the bilateral discussions.
According to journalist Dave Keating’s tweet, Amélie de Montchalin, the French EU Minister said on Tuesday prior to the GAC that “France cannot accept any free trade deal with the UK that doesn’t contain regulatory alignment guarantees to protect EU citizens.”
The EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that negotiations with the UK will begin the week of 2nd March.
EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier met on Tuesday morning with Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister, Simon Coveney and Helen McEntee, Minister for European Affairs, to discuss a solid future partnership with the UK.
