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BREXIT
BRIEF
Brexit Brief Issue 91A
14 July 2020
Introduction
The Brief seeks to provide up-to-date information on the progress and content of the UK-EU
negotiations, and bring together relevant statements and policy positions from key players in
Ireland, the UK and the EU.
The Brief is part of a wider communications programme covering the work of the IIEA’s UK
Project Group – including commentaries, speeches, texts and event reports – which are
highlighted on the Institute’s website. (www.iiea.com)
Section One: State of Play security co-operation and the seriously
contended area of fisheries. In advance, a
London Talks Stalled Commission official remarked: “The key is
what it always has been: to find a way to get
In the week of 6 July 2020, the UK and
what makes the EU side comfortable, without
EU negotiating teams met in London for
breaking any of the UK red lines”. A UK
discussions. These were not described as
counterpart insisted: “We remain committed
‘negotiations’ but as informal talks with no
to working hard throughout the intensified
published agenda. The week began with the
talks process with the aim to make rapid and
two Chief Negotiators – David Frost and Michel
genuine progress towards reaching a deal.
Barnier – meeting for a private Downing Street
There is no reason why an agreement can’t
dinner. Prime Minister Boris Johnson joined
be reached by the end of July.”
the Chief Negotiators afterwards for coffee.
When the talks ended on Thursday 9 July
The subsequent talks involved the two leaders
2020, Michel Barnier Tweeted: “This week’s
and teams of about 15 officials on each
discussions confirm that significant divergences
side, addressing a range of issues, covering
remain between the European Union and
everything from the level playing field concept
Great Britain. We will continue working with
to the core areas of trade in goods and services,
BREXIT BRIEF 091A | JULY 2020BREXIT
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patience, respect & determination. Regardless in the UK; no obligation for the UK to continue
of the outcome, there will be inevitable to be bound by EU law; and an agreement
changes on 1/1/21.” on fisheries that shows Brexit makes a real
difference.” That message has been repeated
There will be a further informal meeting in a routine briefing to representatives of the
in Brussels in the week of 13 July 2020 in Member States.
preparation for a week of full negotiations
in the following week. Both sides are agreed The European Council will meet physically in
that to achieve an workable deal by the end Brussels on 17-18 July to discuss the recovery
of October – to permit formal consideration plan to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and
and adoption by the Member States and the a new long-term budget. This will offer an
European Parliament – a major breakthrough opportunity for reflection, at the level of
must happen by the end of July. Michael Gove leaders, on the outcome of the week’s talks.
has remarked that July was all about “finding
an early understanding on the principles that Commission Communication on
will underpin a broad agreement”, while a Brexit Preparations
senior EU official said that “the next few weeks
On 9 July 2020, the European Commission
are more important than people realise.”
published a detailed Communication –
Writing for RTÉ on 11 July 2020, Tony Connelly ‘Getting Ready for Changes: Communication
commented following the meeting there is still on readiness at the end of the transition
disagreement on how to break the impasse, period between the European Union and the
and highlighted that four key sticking points United Kingdom’ – designed to assist national
remain. These are: the level playing field; authorities, businesses and citizens prepare
fisheries; police and judicial cooperation; and for the inevitable changes that will arise at the
dispute resolution. He continued: end of the transition period. It underlines the
inevitability of the changes that will occur to
The EU believes that Michel Barnier, the cross-border exchanges between the EU and
chief negotiator, has made a significant the UK as of 1 January 2021– irrespective of
overture in recent days, and that the UK whether an agreement on a future partnership
now needs to reciprocate. Senior figures has been concluded or not.
suspect, however, that Boris Johnson
is not preparing either his cabinet or Launching the document, the President of the
the wider Brexit constituency for that Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said:
reciprocation and that he has only a
The British people decided in a democratic
couple of weeks to do so.
election to leave the European Union and
Prior to the London talks, Michel Barnier had its benefits. This means that no matter
said that the European Union had listened how hard we now work towards a close
carefully to Prime Minister Johnson’s recent partnership agreement, our relationship
statements and “in particular, his request to will inevitably change. My top priority is
reach a political agreement quickly, and his red to ensure that EU citizens and businesses
lines: no role for the European Court of Justice are as well prepared as possible for 1
January 2021.
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The Commission’s Chief Negotiator, Michel – many of which continue to be relevant for
Barnier, said: the end of the transition period. Both the EU
and the national governments have been
Public administrations, businesses, busily preparing campaigns to ensure that
citizens and stakeholders will be stakeholders are fully aware of what needs to
affected by the UK’s decision to leave be done in case a deal cannot be reached.
the EU. Following the UK Government’s
decision not to extend the transition UK Preparations Continue
period, we now know that these
changes will take place on 1 January The UK Government has continued outlining
2021 – deal or no deal. We are helping its plans for the end of the transition period
them to prepare as best as they can. with the publication of details of a £705
million funding package for managing the
The Communication sets out a sector-by- UK’s borders, including new border control
sector overview of the main areas where there posts and recruitment of 500 additional
will be changes regardless of the outcome Border Force staff. The plan, made public on
of the ongoing EU-UK negotiations, and 12 July, followed the controversy surrounding
sets out measures that national authorities, a letter from International Trade Secretary,
businesses and citizens should take in order Liz Truss, which raised serious concerns about
to be ready for these changes. It covers the readiness of UK ports and the intention to
trade in goods, trade in services, energy, phase in border formalities.
travelling and tourism, mobility and social
security coordination, company law and civil The plan relates to provisions for the external
law, data, digital and intellectual property borders of England, Scotland and Wales.
rights and EU international agreements. The A specific plan for measures concerning
Communication does not seek to prejudge Northern Ireland will be issued in the coming
the outcome of negotiations and does not weeks. The funds will be allocated to building
examine the possible implications of a failure port and inland infrastructure (£470 million)
to reach an agreement, nor does it consider and IT systems and staffing (£235 million).
the need for contingency measures. The IT allocation will include development
of Revenue and Customs systems, purchase
The Commission’s aim is to ensure that all of new equipment, construction of new data
public administrations and stakeholders are infrastructure to improve border flow and
ready and well prepared for the unavoidable management and recruitment.
disruptions caused by the UK’s decision to
leave the EU and to end the transition period Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove
this year. These measures are designed to commented:
complement actions taken at national level.
[…] with or without further agreement
Furthermore, the Commission is reviewing with the EU, this £705 million will ensure
and, where necessary, updating the more than that the necessary infrastructure, tech
one hundred stakeholder notices, published and border personnel are in place so
at the time of the withdrawal negotiations that our traders and the border industry
BREXIT BRIEF 091A | JULY 2020BREXIT
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are able to manage the changes and The Minister confirmed that he is to bring a
seize the opportunities as we lay significant Brexit memorandum, including the
the foundations for the world’s most views of eight Government Departments to
effective and secure border. prepare the country for the increased chance
of no-deal.
The International Trade Secretary had
warned that border plans risked smuggling, It is understood the bill will deal with: the likely
damage to the UK’s international reputation impact on farmers; a new system of checks at
and a legal challenge from the World Trade ports and airports to account for a post-Brexit
Organisation. Liz Truss wrote to the Cabinet situation; a plan to aid businesses to cope with
Office Minister Michael Gove about four “key the impact of Brexit, in all scenarios; and a
areas of concern”. Minister Gove had unveiled plan to limit the impact on hauliers and other
a border regime for traders whereby customs key transport sectors.
and health checks for goods from the EU would
not be imposed immediately and instead be Mr Coveney, who is no longer Tánaiste but has
phased in over six months. Minister Truss retained his post in the Department of Foreign
argued that this would “be vulnerable” as the Affairs and has been appointed Minister for
WTO could object to EU goods being treated Defence, said that while he believes a deal is
differently to those from elsewhere which still possible, time is short.
incur tariffs and quotas. Her letter suggested
Time is running out, that’s true. There’s
that the Government had not addressed
still six months before the end of the year.
the complexities of the situation:“HMRC are
Six months is a very, very short period
planning to apply the EU tariff as a default to
of time in terms of getting a trade deal
all imports in Northern Ireland from 1 January
place. There are 11 different areas where
2021 […] This is very concerning as this may
there are negotiations taking place, all
call into question Northern Ireland’s place in
in parallel with each other. The idea we
the UK customs territory.”
can get agreement on all 11 is totally
The Labour Party MP and Shadow Minister for unrealistic. What is possible, though,
the Cabinet Office, Rachel Reeves, commented is a basic trade deal that avoids the
that Liz Truss’s letter “confirms fears that introduction of tariffs and quotas, which
several ministers have been making things up is very important in an Irish perspective,
as they go with a lack of awareness of the real which is what World Trade Organisation
world consequences of border policies they’ve (WTO) trading rules would probably
had four years to develop”. result in if there was no deal.
Irish Government Readiness Plans But only when the new Government was
elected could a bill of this magnitude be
In an Irish Examiner interview on 6 July 2020, agreed and brought forward.
the Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney
warned that “time is running out”, adding that I’ll bring a fairly big memo to Government
the chances of agreeing a full trade deal in the week after next in relation to where
the time available are “totally unrealistic”. Ireland is at in terms of our preparedness
BREXIT BRIEF 091A | JULY 2020BREXIT
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for whatever outcome may happen in the post-transition EU-UK relationship. The
the autumn. Whether it’s a worst-case report highlights that planning involves three
scenario - which is no trade deal Brexit - distinct elements: work led by Government,
or not, we have to be ready just in case. such as the infrastructure at the ports and
And no matter what happens here we’re airports; addressing the needs of specific
going to require customs checks in Irish sectors impacted by Brexit; and social issues.
ports and in our airports, and we’re going This work will be underpinned by dialogue with
to have to have other checks as well on stakeholders and a targeted communications
live animals, and on standards checks programme.
and so on for goods coming from the UK.
The Update stresses that, while there is
Department of Foreign Affairs Briefing uncertainty over the outcome of negotiations,
on Brexit Preparedness the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement
in January 2020 ensures that the provisions
The Department of Finance April 2020 of that Agreement, including the Protocol on
Update to Ireland’s Stability Programme Ireland and Northern Ireland, will apply at
set out the extent to which “the economic the end of the transition period regardless of
landscape – domestically and elsewhere – had that outcome.
fundamentally changed in a few weeks.”
Section Two: The Evolving
The report highlights that COVID-19 and Debate
the resultant economic impact places “an
additional and dramatic level of uncertainty on Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dáil
the uncertainty already surrounding Brexit.” It Éireann
outlines that it is against this backdrop that
planning for Brexit must now proceed. The new Taoiseach spoke about Brexit in the
Dáil on 7 July 2020.
The paper points out that, without an
extension, transition will end at a time when From the moment the Brexit referendum
the economy and many individual businesses was proposed, I have been very clear
would hope for a return to recovery. December in describing it as an error of historic
31st 2020 is seen as a potential crucial date. proportions. However, it is done and
Regardless of the outcome of the EU-UK the challenge we continue to face is
negotiations, the UK will be outside the Single managing its impact and developing a
Market and Customs Union from the end of new and constructive relationship with
the transition period. This will have significant our neighbour without the framework of
implications for supply chains, trade flows and joint European Union membership which
the necessary checks and controls in both we shared for nearly five decades.
directions on EU-UK trade.
Negotiations are continuing on the future
Planning already undertaken on ‘no deal relationship between the European Union
preparation’ will be valuable in planning for and the United Kingdom. Achieving
BREXIT BRIEF 091A | JULY 2020BREXIT
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an agreement that fully protects Irish them that this Government is determined
interests will be a central objective of to work actively and constructively with
this Government and Ireland will work them in their vital work.
tirelessly for that outcome as part of the
European Union 27. We will also continue Prime Minister’s Call with Chancellor
to work with partners to ensure that the Merkel
Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland
On 7 July 2020. Prime Minister Boris Johnson
is implemented in full, engaging closely
spoke to the German Chancellor to discuss
with the European Union-United Kingdom
a range of current issues. On the future
joint committee and the specialised
relationship, the Prime Minister underlined
committee, to ensure bedding down of
the UK’s commitment to working hard to find
the new arrangements.
an early agreement in the intensified talks
My Department is also strongly engaged process. He also noted that the UK equally
in the ongoing work on national would be ready to leave the transition period
preparedness for the outcome of Brexit on WTO terms if an agreement could not in
negotiations, working closely with the the end be reached.
Department of Foreign Affairs and all
UK turns down the EU coronavirus
across Government in anticipation of the
vaccine scheme
end of the transition period in January
2021. While much work was done last
The UK Government has notified the European
year, we still have much more to do,
Commission that, following lengthy talks
especially in helping businesses who
with Brussels, it will not participate in the EU
face new barriers to trade with Britain.
collective coronavirus vaccine scheme, arguing
A heightened round of stakeholder
that the UK, outside the EU, would not have
engagement will be undertaken and
a decision-making role in negotiations. The
contingency plans will be updated.
decision has been described as ‘unforgivable’
by health sector charities and condemned by
Regardless of the outcome of the Brexit
opposition MPs.
negotiations, the Protocol on Ireland and
Northern Ireland will take effect from the
end of the transition period. During the Section Three: Background
remainder of 2020 we will engage closely Material and Further Reading
with the European Union-United Kingdom
joint committee and the specialised Background Material
committee to ensure the bedding down
European Commission Communication on
of the new arrangements. The restoration
readiness at the end of the transition period
of the Northern Ireland Executive and the
between the European Union and the United
Assembly provides a moment of hope for
Kingdom. 9 July 2020. https://ec.europa.
all who share this island. Among my first
telephone calls as Taoiseach were calls eu/info/publications/getting-ready-changes-
with First Minister, Arlene Foster, and communication-readiness-end-transition-
Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill. I told period-between-european-union-and-united-
kingdom_en
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House of Lords Select Committee on the Telegraph EU willing to allow UK to break
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oralevidence/629/pdf/ news/2020/06/eu-willing-allow-uk-break-
common-fisheries-policy/
BBC ‘Significant divergences’ in UK-EU talks
– Michel Barnier. BBC, 9 July 2020. https:// Financial Times Now we get down to the
www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53354493 real stuff of Brexit. FT, 9 July 2020. https://
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GOV.UK Prime Minister call with Chancellor bf11-22981536c2ce
Merkel: 7 July 2020. https://www.gov.uk/
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Financial Times Hardline Brexit stance
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news/2020/07/11/outside-eu-bright-future- Politico EU needs to ‘see movement’ from
awaits-britain/ UK in post-Brexit trade deal: Phil Hogan.
Politico, 4 July 2020. https://www.politico.
Irish Times ‘Prepare for January: European
eu/article/eu-needs-to-see-movement-from-
Commission warns as Brexit trade talks stall.
uk-on-post-brexit-trade-deal-phil-hogan/
IT, 10 July 2020. https://www.irishtimes.com/
news/world/europe/prepare-for-january- The Guardian Vast Brexit customs
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The Guardian UK Brexit negotiator meets EU clearance-centre-to-be-built-in-kent
counterpart in bid to revive talks. Guardian,
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politics/2020/jul/07/eu-citizns-being-used- tariff in no-deal Brexit, warns trade body.
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4ddd-42f3-983a-d537b1d4cbc2
politics/2020/07/09/uk-turns-eu-coronavirus-
vaccine-scheme-officials-warned-costly/
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The Guardian UK plan to shun EU vaccine Irish Examiner Government to approve
scheme ‘unforgivable’, say critics. Guardian, Brexit readiness Plan as UK trade talks
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mcconnell-coveney-dismayed-at-uks-
approach-to-brexit-talks-1009419.html
BREXIT BRIEF 091A | JULY 2020The Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) is Ireland’s leading international affairs think tank.
Founded in 1991, its mission is to foster and shape political, policy and public discourse in order to broaden
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status. In January 2017, the Global Go To Think Tank Index ranked the IIEA as Ireland’s top think tank.
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