The Strategist

Macron promises Johnson to evaluate Brexit deal by the end of the week



10/07/2019 - 09:27



French President Emmanuel Macron said in a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he would consult about the Brexit position by the end of the week, AFP reported referring to the Palais'd Elysees. Mr. Johnson said in a conversation that he was not going to postpone the UK exit from the EU.



Jacques Paquier
Jacques Paquier
The agency added that Mr. Johnson “presented his final proposals” on Brexit in a telephone conversation. The French president added that negotiations would continue in the coming days “with the participation of the team (the European Union’s chief negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier) to assess whether it is possible to reach an agreement in compliance with the principles of the European Union.”

The British Prime Minister told President Macron that "the EU should not succumb to the erroneous belief that Britain will remain in the EU after October 31." He noted that he would not ask for another postponement, despite the demands of the British parliament.

Recall, last Friday, the coordination group of the European Parliament said that it did not accept the terms of the agreement proposed by the government of Mr. Johnson. European authorities, in particular, did not set up a backstop mechanism for Northern Ireland. It provides that after the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union, Northern Ireland in some aspects will remain part of a single market, and Britain will remain indefinitely in the common customs area of the EU.

Bloomberg agency noted that Boris Johnson has already prepared a backup plan in case of refusal of the European authorities. According to agency sources, he intends to propose strictly limiting the backstop time.

source: politico.eu