Ireland and EU must hold their nerve as deadline for a Brexit trade deal approaches
Ireland and the EU must hold their nerve as we enter a crunch week for Brexit talks as the November 15th deadline for an EU-UK trade deal looms according to Labour Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Brexit, Brendan Howlin.
Deputy Howlin said:
“This is a critical week for Brexit talks and given the stakes are so high we expect a rational approach from both sides. However, it is vitally important at this late stage that Ireland and the EU do not lose their nerve.
“The election of Joe Biden in the US has deprived Boris Johnson of a key ally and has strengthened the negotiating hand of the European Union. The President-elect has repeatedly stated that there is no prospect of a US-UK trade deal if the agreement entered last year is resiled from.
“The largest of the outstanding issues now is clearly oversight, given that the British Government have introduced the internal market bill which has effectively undone the previous agreement, it is important that whatever deal is reached is enforceable.
“A practical solution has to be found in relation to fisheries. The EU is the biggest market for British fish and a solution is needed to allow British and European fishermen to fish in EU waters and to ensure markets are found for fish caught there.
“However, both the European Union negotiators and the Irish Government need to hold their nerve as the election of President-elect Biden has clearly changed the dynamic in favour of successfully concluding the talks in favour of a free trade deal.