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Brexit Brief Issue 81
20 February 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 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                      will have recovered in full its economic and
                                                 political independence.”
 The Future Relationship between the
 UK and the EU, 3 February 2020                  The question for the rest of 2020 is whether
                                                 the UK and the EU can agree a deeper
 On 3 February 2020, the UK Government
                                                 trading relationship on the lines of the Free
 set out the initial elements of its proposed
                                                 Trade Agreement the EU has with Canada, or
 approach to the negotiations with the
                                                 whether the relationship will be based simply
 European Union about the future relationship.
                                                 on the Withdrawal Agreement deal agreed
                                                 in October 2019, including the Protocol on
 The document indicated the UK Government’s
                                                 Northern Ireland / Ireland. In either event the
 wish to see a future relationship “based
                                                 UK will be leaving the Single Market and the
 on friendly cooperation between sovereign
                                                 Customs Union at the end of this year and
 equals for the benefit of all our peoples”.
                                                 stakeholders should prepare for that reality.
 The UK Government also expressed its belief
 that “complete certainty” would be brought
                                                 The UK Government indicated a desire to
 about by the end of the transition period on
                                                 achieve “a balanced agreement” that is “in the
 31 December 2020, at which point “the UK
                                                 interests of both sides”. Any such agreement,

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however, ought to “respect the sovereignty of           agreement on security, on protecting
both parties and the autonomy of our legal              our citizens without trespassing on the
orders.” In the UK’s assessment, therefore, it          autonomy of our respective legal systems.
could not include “any regulatory alignment,
any jurisdiction for the CJEU over the UK’s         European Commission
laws, or any supranational control in any area,     Recommendation, 3 February 2020
including the UK’s borders and immigration
                                                    On the same day, 3 February 2020,
policy.”
                                                    the European Commission published its
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Speech               Recommendation for a Council Decision
at Greenwich, 3 February 2020                       authorising the opening of negotiations for a
                                                    new partnership with the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched the
Government’s Future Relationship document in        The partnership envisaged by the Commission
the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College     reflects both the conclusions and guidelines
at Greenwich, lauding Thornhill’s “gorgeous         of the European Council, and seeks to build
and slightly bonkers” ceiling painting which        on the Political Declaration. The envisaged
celebrated “the settlement of a long and            partnership is a single package that comprises
divisive political question.” He addressed the      three main components:
UK’s aim for a trade agreement with the EU,
                                                       (i) general arrangements (including
and referenced other issues to be agreed in
                                                       provisions on basic values and principles
the future relationship, such as security:
                                                       and on governance);
    We have made our choice: we want a
                                                       (ii) economic arrangements (including
    comprehensive free trade agreement,
                                                       provisions on trade and level playing field
    similar to Canada’s. But in the very unlikely
                                                       guarantees); and
    event that we do not succeed, then our
    trade will have to be based on our existing        (iii) security arrangements (including
    Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.                  provisions on law enforcement and judicial
                                                       cooperation in criminal matters, as well as
    The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or
                                                       on foreign policy, security and defence).
    no-deal’. We have a deal – we’ve done it
    and yes it did turn out as I prophesized to     The Commission views this envisaged
    be oven ready. The question is whether          partnership as being premised on “the
    we agree a trading relationship with the        recognition that prosperity and security are
    EU comparable to Canada’s – or more             enhanced by the rules-based international
    like Australia’s. And I have no doubt that      order, defending individual rights and the rule
    in either case the UK will prosper.             of law, high standards of protection of workers’
                                                    and consumers’ rights and of the environment,
    And of course our new relationship with
                                                    the fight against climate change, and free and
    our closest neighbours will range far
                                                    fair trade.”
    beyond trade. We will seek a pragmatic

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The scope of the partnership envisaged in                digital trade,  intellectual property
this recommendation is to be comprehensive,              and access to our respective public
in line with the conclusions of the European             procurement markets.
Council of 13 December 2019. It covers
all areas of interest outlined in the Political      Given the proximity and economic inter-
Declaration: “trade and economic cooperation,        dependence between the UK and the EU, Mr
law enforcement and judicial cooperation in          Barnier signalled that the above would be
criminal matters, foreign policy, security and       contingent upon the following two factors:
defence, participation in Union programmes
                                                         First, we need to make sure competition
and thematic areas of cooperation.”
                                                         is – and remains – open and fair. We
Throughout this process, the Commission                  have already agreed with Prime Minister
aims to preserve the “autonomy of the Union’s            Johnson that our future partnership will
decision-making and its legal order, the integrity       prevent ‘unfair competitive advantages’.
of its single market and the Customs Union               We must now agree on specific and
and the indivisibility of the four freedoms.”            effective guarantees to ensure a level
It will also work to ensure the protection of            playing field over the long term. That
the Union’s financial interests and reflect the          means mechanisms to uphold the
United Kingdom’s status as a “non-Schengen               high standards we have on social,
third country”, which cannot have the same               environmental, climate, tax and state
rights and benefits as would a member.                   aid matters, today and in their future
                                                         developments.
Michel Barnier Statement at the
Presentation of the Commission                           Second, our free trade agreement must
Recommendation, 3 February 2020                          include an agreement on fisheries. This
                                                         agreement should provide for continued
Speaking at the launch of the Commission                 reciprocal access to markets, and to
Recommendation, Michel Barnier, Head of the              waters, with stable quota shares. If we
Commission Task Force for Relations with the             can agree on this, as well as on robust
United Kingdom (UKTF) said:                              commitments towards a level playing
                                                         field and the necessary enforcement
     We are ready to offer a highly ambitious            mechanisms, we will achieve a very
     trade deal as the central pillar of this            ambitious free and fair trade agreement.”
     partnership, including: Zero tariffs and
     zero quotas on all goods entering our           European Parliament Resolution on
     single market of 450 million people;            the Proposed Mandate
     An ambitious free trade agreement in
     services, with wide sectoral coverage,          On 11 February 2020, the European
     ranging from business services to               Parliament adopted – by 543 votes to 39, with
     telecommunications or environmental             69 abstentions – a Resolution setting out the
     services. We are also looking to include        parliament’s position on the proposed mandate

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for negotiations for a new partnership with the        Council of Europe, as well as respect for
United Kingdom. The Resolution underlined              the principle of the rule of law,
the Parliament’s determination to establish as
close a relationship as possible with the UK.          (vi) a level playing field, ensuring
However, it noted that that such a relationship        equivalent standards in social, labour,
will necessarily be different from that enjoyed        environmental, competition and state
by the UK as a Member State of the EU, and             aid policies, including through a robust
as a result will need to adhere to the following       and comprehensive framework on
                                                       competition and state aid control,
principles:

                                                       (vii) the precautionary principle, the
     (i) a third country must not have the
                                                       principle that environmental damage
    same rights and benefits as a Member
                                                       should as a priority be rectified at source
    State of the EU, or a member of the
                                                       and the ‘polluter pays’ principle,
    European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
    or European Economic Area (EEA),
                                                       (viii) safeguarding of EU agreements
                                                       with third countries and international
    (ii) protection of the full integrity and
                                                       organisations,    including    the EEA
    correct functioning of the single market,
                                                       Agreement, and maintaining the overall
    the customs union and indivisibility of
                                                       balance of these relationships,
    the four freedoms, and in particular the
    degree of cooperation in the economic              (ix) safeguarding of the financial stability
    pillar should be commensurate to the               of the EU and compliance with its
    freedom of movement of people;                     regulatory and supervisory regime and
                                                       standards and their application,
    (iii) preservation of the autonomy of the
    EU’s decision-making,                              (x) a right balance of rights and
                                                       obligations, including, where appropriate,
    (iv) safeguarding of the EU legal order
                                                       commensurate financial contributions
    and the role of the Court of Justice of the
    European Union (CJEU) in this respect,         Speech by Commission President von
                                                   der Leyen in European Parliament, 11
    (v) continued adherence to democratic
                                                   February 2020
    principles, human rights and fundamental
    freedoms, as defined in particular in          In the Parliament debate on 11 February 2020,
    the United Nations (UN) Universal              the President of the European Commission,
    Declaration of Human Rights, the               Ursula von der Leyen, addressed the key
    European Convention on Human Rights            elements of the Resolution:
    and Fundamental Freedoms and its
    Protocols, the European Social Charter,            And when we agreed the Political
    the Rome Statute on the International              Declaration with the United Kingdom, we
    Criminal Court and other international             ambitioned a zero tariffs and a zero quotas
    human rights treaties of the UN and the            trade relation for all goods. Something

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    we have never ever before offered to           revealed a situation in which the two sides
    anybody else. A new model of trade, a          will enter the formal talks process – in early
    unique ambition in terms of access to the      March following Council adoption of the EU
    Single Market. But of course, this would       talks mandate – seriously at cross purposes.
    require corresponding guarantees on fair
    competition and the protection of social,      Michel Barnier told the European Parliament
    environmental and consumer standards.          that UK access to the Single Market would
    In short: This is plain and simply the         involve strict conditions in respect of adherence
    level playing field.                           to EU rules and standards and acceptance of a
                                                   continuing role for the European Commission
    And honestly, I was a little bit surprised     and the European Court of Justice in monitoring
    to hear the Prime Minister of the United       adherence in sensitive areas such as State
    Kingdom speak about the Australian             Aids and subsidy restrictions.
    model. Australia, without any doubt, is
    a strong and a likeminded partner. But         Prime Minister Johnson made it clear that the
    the European Union does not have a             UK sees these conditions as unjustified, arguing
    trade agreement with Australia. We are         that there is no need for any agreement to
    currently trading on WTO terms. And if         involve acceptance of EU rules “on competition
    this is the British choice, we are fine with   policy, subsidies, social protection, the
    that – without any question. But in fact,      environment or anything similar.” Britain, he
    we are just in the moment where we are         insisted, wants a trade deal that is similar
    agreeing with Australia that we must end       to that between the EU and Canada or, in
    this situation, and we work on a trade deal    the absence of a Canada arrangement, the
    with them. Of course, the UK can decide        alternative model of Australia.
    to settle for less. But I personally believe
                                                   The Financial Times columnist Wolfgang
    that we should be way more ambitious.
                                                   Munchau summed up the tension evident
    I have heard ambition in Boris Johnson’s       between the positions of the two actors: the
    speech. Ambition on minimum wages              EU “does not seek to maximise the flow of
    and parental payments. And he has an           trade,” he wrote, but instead to prevent the
    ally in me, where that is concerned. I         UK from “exploiting regulatory divergence.”
    have heard ambition on cutting carbon          Simultaneously, the UK seeks not to maximise
    emissions. Ambition on guaranteeing that       trade, “but to seek the fullest amount of
    our firms are competing in full fairness.      regulatory independence.” Mr Munchau goes
    This is what we also want. Let us formally     on to state that “the problem with the two
    agree on these objectives.”                    drafts is thus not that they disagree on fish,
                                                   say, but that they disagree on what they are
Starting Negotiations                              negotiating. The EU wants to keep the UK in.
                                                   The UK wants to keep the EU out.”
Statements accompanying the publication
of the initial negotiation papers by the UK
Government and the Commission have

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Northern Ireland Protocol                            The main differences centre on the role of
                                                     the Joint Committee – made up of European
As the UK and EU move towards formal                 Commissioners on the EU side, and cabinet
negotiations on their future relationship,           ministers on the UK side, backed up by a
attention is increasingly directed to the            Specialist Committee of senior officials from
arrangements for the future of the island of         both sides.
Ireland contained in the Protocol on Ireland /
Northern Ireland in the Withdrawal Agreement.        Tony Connolly writes that according to a
                                                     number of EU officials and diplomats, there is
RTÉ’s Brussels Editor, Tony Connelly, wrote          a misunderstanding on the UK side about the
that as both parties continue to prepare for         scope of the Joint Committee.
trade negotiations, there are signals that “all
is not well when it comes to implementing                To the EU, the Joint Committee has two
the divorce part of Brexit [the Withdrawal               roles: it makes sure there is a regime in
Agreement], in particular the Irish Protocol.”           place to do the checking and monitoring,
The Protocol must be implemented in                      including the development of IT systems
conjunction with trade talks and will take effect        and databases. The second role is to work
on 1 January 2021. It is now clear, according            out what goods, or categories of goods,
to Mr Connolly, that there is “a real difference         are deemed not at risk of crossing the
of opinion” in how it ought to be implemented.           land border into the single market. Once
                                                         that distinction is made, those goods may
The Protocol is designed to ensure that there            enjoy a tariff exemption or rebate. This will
is no hard border on the island of Ireland.              involve a system of checks and controls.
Northern Ireland is to remain in the UK’s
customs territory, but apply EU customs law,         EU sources suspect the UK regards these
thereby effectively remaining in the Single          arrangements as ‘a moveable feast’, depending
Market for goods. This means that goods              on the outcome of the Free Trade Agreement
travelling across the Irish Sea from Great           negotiations. They suspect that the UK sees the
Britain to Northern Ireland will be subject          role of the Joint Committee as a means to row
to tariffs, regulatory checks and controls. In       back on the reality of customs and regulatory
cases where there is deemed to be no risk of         formalities. They refer to an annexe to the
the goods continuing on over the land border         New Decade, New Approach paper, in which
to the Republic of Ireland and therefore into        the UK promises “we will aim to negotiate with
the EU Single Market, then either a tariff           the European Union additional flexibilities and
exemption, or rebates, will be applied.              sensible practical measures across all aspects
                                                     of the Protocol that are supported by business
“That’s putting it at its simplest.” Tony Connolly   groups in Northern Ireland and maximise the
commented. “But that has to be converted into        free flow of trade.”
something that is legally clear and watertight
for businesses, politicians and consumers. It        The EU insists that the “practical measures”
will, indeed, be a challenging new regime.”          have already been negotiated and are legally

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binding under the Withdrawal Agreement.               Just 1 per cent said Brexit would influence their
EU officials argue that the Joint Committee is        voting decision, compared with 32 per cent for
not a forum for renegotiating the Withdrawal          health services and 26 per cent for housing
Agreement.                                            policy. A Fine Gael canvasser commented:
                                                      “There is a lot of goodwill and thanks on the
Mr Connolly’s article also referred to a              doorstep for Brexit, but voters have priced it
recent session of the House of Lords                  in as yesterday’s news.”
European Union Committee which devoted
90 minutes to questioning three eminent               Northern Ireland Secretary Dismissed
legal and constitutional witnesses about the
tangled complexities of the Protocol. One             The Northern Ireland Secretary, Julian Smith,
witness noted the complexity of the relevant          who had played a key role in the restoration
relationships affected by the Protocol: “We’re        of the Stormont Assembly and Executive, was
not just dealing with this Protocol. The Protocol     the first minister to be sacked by Prime Minister
interfaces with the Good Friday Agreement, it         Boris Johnson in his Cabinet reshuffle. He was
interfaces with the Common Travel Area with           replaced by the former Tory Party Chairman,
Ireland, it will interface with WTO rules, it will,   Brandon Lewis.
in the future, interface with the Free Trade
                                                      On his arrival in Belfast, within hours of his
Agreement (FTA) between the UK and EU.”
                                                      appointment, Brandon Lewis stated that there
Another commented that Northern Ireland
                                                      will be no border between Great Britain and
was now “at the centre of a very complicated
                                                      Northern Ireland. “We are absolutely clear.
and convoluted Venn diagram. It is the space
                                                      As a UK government we will not be having
in which the EU’s single market and the UK’s
                                                      a border down the Irish Sea.” This position
internal market are going to overlap”.
                                                      is firmly contradicted by EU officials who
Section Two: The Evolving Debate                      say such controls are clearly set out in the
                                                      Withdrawal Agreement, which came into force
Brexit not an issue in General Election               as an international treaty on 1 February. EU
Campaign                                              sources suspect the UK regards the Irish Sea
                                                      arrangements as a moveable feast, depending
Brexit barely figured as an election issue            on the final shape of the Free Trade Agreement
despite the efforts of Fine Gael to make the          negotiations.
Government’s performance in the lengthy
withdrawal negotiations a central element of          The sacking of Julian Smith as NI Secretary
the election debate. Even the continuing risk         was met in Ireland, North and South with
of a no-deal crash at the end of the year – with      a reaction of surprise, bemusement and a
the widely recognised economic implications of        degree of anger. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
such an outcome –failed to excite voters. In the      paid warm tribute stating that Mr Smith was
event, Brexit came joint last, with immigration,      “one of Britain’s finest politicians of our time”.
in a list of ten issues cited by respondents to       Tánaiste Simon Coveney said that without
the extensive Ipsos/MRBI exit poll.                   Mr Smith’s leadership he did not believe

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Stormont would have been restored. SDLP            are still lobbying the government to break
leader Colum Eastwood said the dismissal was       the promises it made in the general election.”
a “strategic error” while the DUP First Minister   The Prime Minister, and other ministers, have
Arlene Foster contacted Mr Smith after his         urged business representatives to accept that
dismissal to wish him well and to “thank him       the UK will diverge from the Brussels rule book
for getting devolution restored”. The Alliance     after the end of the transition period and that
leader Naomi Long said she was “hugely             there will be new trade friction at EU borders.
disappointed to see a truly engaged secretary
of state of Northern Ireland removed from          On the same day, political journalists walked
office at a time when continuity is needed         out of No 10 Downing Street in protest at the
around a still fragile political agreement”.       Government’s decision to provide a briefing
                                                   on EU matters only to selected reporters,
A Bridge                                           banning a range of papers and websites –
                                                   including The Mirror, the Independent and
A Downing Street spokesman has confirmed           Huffington Post - from attending. Among
that “Government officials are carrying            those who walked out were senior journalists
out work in relation to the idea of a bridge       from the BBC and ITV, Daily Mail, Telegraph,
linking Scotland to Northern Ireland. There        Guardian and Financial Times.
is a proper piece of work being carried out
into the idea. It is reporting into Number 10.”    Section Three: Background
Boris Johnson had raised the possibility of        Material and Further Reading
building the bridge in the Conservative Party
leadership campaign, apparently ignoring the       Background Material
scepticism of engineers at the idea of building
                                                   GOV.UK The Future Relationship between the
a bridge over waters more than 300 metres
                                                   UK and the EU, 3 February 2020. https://www.
deep in places, under which at least a million
                                                   gov.uk/government/speeches/the-future-
tons of obsolete World War II munitions had
                                                   relationship-between-the-uk-and-the-eu
been dumped by the UK Defence Ministry.
                                                   GOV.UK PM Speech in Greenwich, 3 February
CBI snubbed / Media excluded
                                                   2020.      https://www.gov.uk/government/
The Confederation of British Industry,             speeches/pm-speech-in-greenwich-3-
the Institute of Directors and the British         february-2020
Chambers of Commerce were not included
                                                   European Commission Recommendation
in the 75 invitations to the Prime Minister’s
                                                   for a Council Decision authorising the opening
Greenwich speech on the EU-UK talks on
                                                   of negotiations for a new partnership with
future relationships. Explaining the calculated
                                                   the United Kingdom, 3 February 2020.
snub, an ally of the Prime Minister said that
                                                   https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/
these groups were excluded because “they are
                                                   communication-annex-negotiating-directives.pdf
not doing their duty to prepare their members
for the upcoming realities” and because “they

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European       Commission      Speech     by     Financial Times Brexit: Barnier rebuffs UK
President von der Leyen in the European          pitch for ‘permanent equivalence’ in financial
Parliament debate on the Commission’s            services. FT, 12 February 2020. https://www.
proposal for a mandate for the negotiation of    ft.com/content/34ab4fb8-4cbc-11ea-95a0-
a new partnership with the United Kingdom,       43d18ec715f5
11    February   2020.    https://ec.europa.
eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/             Irish Times Von der Leyen ‘surprised’ at UK
SPEECH_20_230                                    suggestion of Australia-style EU relationship.
                                                 IT, 12 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.
European Parliament Motion for a                 com/news/world/europe/von-der-leyen-
Resolution to wind up the debate on the          surprised-at-uk-suggestion-of-australia-style-
proposed mandate for negotiations for a          eu-relationship-1.4170298
new partnership with the United Kingdom,
7 February 2020. https://www.europarl.           Financial   Times    Britain   and   the   EU
europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2020-0098_          are negotiating at cross purposes. FT,
EN.html                                          15 February 2020. https://www.ft.com/
                                                 content/7a092804-49c0-11ea-aee2-
The Guardian UK will refuse close alignment      9ddbdc86190d
with EU rules, Johnson to say. Guardian, 2
February 2020. https://www.theguardian.          The Guardian Political journalists boycott
com/politics/2020/feb/02/uk-refuse-close-        No 10 briefing after PM’s aide tries to ban
alignment-eu-rules-boris-johnson-trade           selected reporters. Guardian, 3 February
                                                 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/
The Telegraph Post-Brexit Britain may face       live/2020/feb/03/brexit-news-boris-johnson-
friction but it will be a worthwhile trade-      speech-barnier-cabinet-ministers-claims-uk-
off. Telegraph, 3 February 2020. https://        does-not-need-trade
www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/02/03/
post-brexit-britain-may-face-friction-will-      The Observer Europe’s British question:
worthwhile-trade                                 how will the EU’s big powers play the next
                                                 phase? Observer, 5 February 2020. https://
Financial Times UK and EU begin sparring         www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/
with bruising talk ahead. FT, 2 February 2020.   feb/05/europe-british-brexit-uk-eu
https://www.ft.com/content/086562a6-
45e4-11ea-aee2-9ddbdc86190d                      The Observer The EU won’t fix its democratic
                                                 deficit with another top-down ‘conference’.
The Guardian The Guardian view on a              Observer, 21 January 2020. https://www.
Brexit trade deal: tricky but not impossible.    theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/
Guardian, 12 February 2020. https://www.         jan/21/eu-democratic-deficit-top-down-
theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/              conference-verhofstadt
feb/12/the-guardian-view-on-a-brexit-trade-
deal-tricky-but-not-impossible

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Timothy Garton Ash We remainers must now             Politico Brexit bad blood is back. Politico,
aim for Britain to do well – and the EU even         5 February 2020. https://www.politico.eu/
better. Observer, 31 January 2020. https://          article/uk-transition-brexit-bad-blood-is-
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/              back-boris-johnson-dominic-raab-donald-
jan/31/remainers-britain-eu-brexit                   tusk

New Statesman Charles Grant. How the                 Financial Times Johnson’s free trade vision
EU can survive Brexit. New Statesman, 7-13           hits familiar sticking points. FT, 4 February 2020.
February 2020. https://www.newstatesman.             https://www.ft.com/content/1b7d2890-
com/world/europe/2020/02/how-eu-can-                 46a4-11ea-aee2-9ddbdc86190d
survive-brexit
                                                     The Guardian Boris Johnson is about to
The Guardian UK alignment on EU standards            find out just how weak the UK is after Brexit.
price to pay for trade deal, say MEPs. Guardian,     Guardian, 3 February 2020. https://www.
12 February 2020. https://www.theguardian.           theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/
com/politics/2020/feb/12/uk-alignment-on-            feb/03/boris-johnson-weak-brexit-uk
eu-standards-price-to-pay-for-trade-deal-
say-meps                                             Politico 5 potential clashes in the next phase
                                                     of Brexit talks. Politico, 4 February 2020.
The Telegraph EU seeks power to suspend              https://www.politico.eu/article/5-potential-
any deals it makes with Britain over Brexit.         clashes-in-the-next-phase-of-brexit-talks
Telegraph, 10 February 2020. http://www.
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/02/10/eu-              RTE EU, UK to set out different demands ahead of
wants-power-freeze-post-brexit-uk-eu-deals-          trade talks. RTE, 3 February 2020. https://www.
punishment                                           rte.ie/news/brexit/2020/0203/1112713-
                                                     brexit-trade-negotiations
Financial Times The UK is about to shoot
itself in both feet. FT, 5 February 2020. https://   Financial Times Young Britons fear for their
www.ft.com/content/de2a1e52-4677-11ea-               post-Brexit future. FT, 7 February 2020.
aee2-9ddbdc86190d                                    https://www.ft.com/content/b8b7ee96-
                                                     41a0-11ea-a047-eae9bd51ceba
Financial Times Boris Johnson steps up
campaign against business lobby. FT, 4               Irish Times Johnson will get his Brexit deal.
February 2020. https://www.ft.com/content/           IT, 6 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.
b61d4664-46b8-11ea-aee2-9ddbdc86190d                 com/opinion/how-johnson-will-get-his-brexit-
                                                     deal-1.4163835
Irish Times Boris Johnson’s swagger unlikely
to survive Brexit trade talks. IT, 4 February        Financial Times How the Brexit deal can
2020.      https://www.irishtimes.com/news/          be done. FT, 6 February 2020. https://www.
world/uk/boris-johnson-s-swagger-unlikely-           fy.com/content/883d2044-4806-11ea-aeb3-
to-survive-brexit-trade-talks-1.4160544              955839e06441

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Hansard       Secretary    of   State   for         Financial Times City groups set out
International Trade. Free Trade Agreements,         vision for post-Brexit market access. FT,
6 February 2020. https://www.hansard.               13 February 2020. https://www.ft.com/
parliament.uk/Commons/2020-02-06/                   content/58e57ec4-4da4-11ea-95a0-
debates/20020615000014/                             43d18ec715f5
FreTradeAgreements
                                                    Tony Connelly EU and UK are poles apart
RTE UK seeks big tariff reductions in US trade      on the Irish Protocol. RTE, 15 February
deal. RTE, 6 February 2020. https://www.rte.        2020.      https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-
ie/news/business/2020/0206/1113525-uk-              and-comment/2020/0214/1115389-north-
us-trade-deal                                       protocol-brexit

The Telegraph How Boris Johnson’s                   Tommy Gorman The short reign of Citizen
reshuffle could mean a major clash with the         Smith. RTE, 16 February 2020. https://www.
EU is looking. Telegraph, 14 February 2020.         rte.ie/news/ireland/2020/0215/1115495-
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/2020/02/14/             julian-smith/
boris-johnsons-reshuffle-could-mean-major-
clash-eu-looming                                    Irish Times Surprise and anger following
                                                    sacking of Julian Smith as Northern
Financial Times John Major warns rushed             Secretary. IT, 15 February 2020. https://
UK-EU trade deal will be ‘flimsy’. FT, 13           www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/surprise-
February 2020. https://www.ft.com/content/          and-anger-following-sacking-of-julian-smith-
dd9b1d66-4de2-11ea-95a0-43d18ec715f5                as-northern-secretary-1.4172938

Centre for European Policy Studies The              Fintan O’Toole Safety-first politics has had
Other Side of the Brexit Coin, January 2020.        its day. IT, 21 January 2020. https://www.
https://www.ceps.eu/the-other-side-of-the-          irishtimes.com/opinion/intan-o-toole-safety-
brexit-coin                                         first-politics-has-its-day-1.4145605

Chatham House In Next Round of EU                   Irish Times Irish fishing industry backs
Negotiations, Britain Faces Familiar Pitfalls, 31   EU tying fishing rights to trade deal. IT, 4
January 2020. https://www.chathamhouse.
                                                    February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.com/
org/expert/comment/next-round-eu-
                                                    business/irish-fishing-industry-backs-eu-
negotiations-britain-faces-familiar-pitfalls
                                                    tying-fishing-rights-to-trade-deal-1.4160670

European Policy Centre No good Brexit,
                                                    Irish Times Northern Ireland-Scotland
31 January 2020. https://www.epc.eu/en/
                                                    bridge being considered by British officials.
Publications/No -good-Brexit-2e4f78
                                                    IT, 11 February 2020. https://www.
Federal Trust Scotland’s Shifting Politics in       irishtimes,com/news/world/uk/northen-
the Face of Brexit, 14 February 2020. https://      ireland-scotland-bridge-being-considered-by-
fedtrust.co.uk/scotlands-shifting-politics-in-      british-officials-1.4168471
the-face-of-brexit

                                                                   BREXIT BRIEF 081 | FEB 2020
BREXIT
BRIEF

Simon Carswell Don’t mention the B-word:          RTE UK Government will not have a
Brexit barely figures as an election issue. IT,   border in the Irish Sea – Lewis. RTE,
10 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.         14 February 2020. https://www.rte.ie/
com/news/politics/don-t-mention-the-b-            news/2020/0214/1115361-brandon-lewis
word-brexit-barely-figures-as-an-election-
issue-1.4167398                                   The Guardian What does the Irish election
                                                  result mean for Brexit? Guardian, 10 February
The Guardian British nationals working in         2020.           https://www.theguardian.com/
Brussels snap up Irish passports. Guardian,       world/2020/feb/10/irish-election-resilt-brexit-
12 February 2020. https://www.theguardian.        sinn-fein-coalition-boris-johnson-eu
com/politics/2020/feb/12/british-nationals-
working-in-brussels-snap-up-irish-passports       Irish Times New Northern Secretary commits
                                                  to legacy aspects of deal. IT, 16 February
Irish Times No clarity in Brexit deal on how      2020.     https://www.irishtimes.com/news/
Irish Sea border will work, UK peers told. IT,    politics/new-northern-secretary-commits-to-
12 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.         legacy-aspects-of-deal-1.4174314
com/news/politics/no-clarity-in-brexit-deal-
on-how-irish-sea-border-will-work-uk-peers-       Irish Times Irish economy in good stead as
told-1.4170864                                    no-deal Brexit fears recede – commission. IT,
                                                  13 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.
Irish Times Irish Reunification now on the        com/business/economy/irish-economy-in-
table, former Foreign Office head says. IT,       good-stead-as-no-deal-brexit-fears-recede-
11 February 2020. https://www.irishtimes.         commission-1.4172552
com/news/ireland/irish-reunification-now-
on-the-table-former-foreign-office-head-
says-1.4170336
                                                  Further Reading
Tony Connelly Data and Privacy will be
                                                  Barrett Gavin The Evolving Role of National
Brexit battlegrounds. IT, 8 February 2020.
                                                  Parliaments in the European Union. Manchester
https://www.rte.ie/news/analysis-and-
                                                  University Press
comment/2020/0207/1113876-brexit-
connelly-analysis/

Patrick Smyth Irish economy performing well
but Brexit uncertainty remains, commission
warns. IT, 13 February 2020. https://
www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/
irish-economy-performing-well-but-brexit-
uncertainty-remains-commission-warns
-1.4172552

                                                                 BREXIT BRIEF 081 | FEB 2020
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