This is a subscriber-only article
The EU has published its 440-page draft legal text for a future EU-UK partnership when the transition period finishes in December this year.
The text, which was out for consultation with the European Parliament and Council since late last week, was widely leaked.
EU side only
The text is an EU draft and therefore doesn’t particularly reflect UK views. It is based on the UK remaining aligned with the EU in virtually everything, with the EU court of justice the arbiter on disputes.
The EU does appear more flexible on fishing quotas by removing reference to historical-based catches in favour of what is scientifically sustainable, which is closer to the UK position.
When the EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier tweeted last Friday that the document was sent to the other EU institutions, the UK chief negotiator David Frost responded that they too would be publishing their draft legal text shortly.
The EU has published a legal text of a future trading agreement that it would like the UK to sign up to and we can expect that UK document, whenever it is published, will present an agreement that reflects its ambitions.
Unfortunately, from what we have heard throughout the Brexit debate since 2016, the UK and EU ambitions are poles apart. When both sides have a text on the table is when negotiations really begin.
Coronavirus
Negotiations are a problem in the midst of the coronavirus, which has disrupted life and day-to-day business throughout the UK and EU, with Michel Barnier himself falling victim.
This week's second round of negotiations have been postponed because of coronavirus and future rounds have to be in doubt, with many on the UK side reportedly transferred to work on Government policy in relation to the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, in a comment by the UK government on Wednesday acknowledging the cancellation of this week’s negotiating round, they highlighted that departure from the transition would take place as scheduled on 31 December and that this was enshrined in law.
SHARING OPTIONS: