Sunday

28th May 2023

Tusk to show support for Ireland as Brexit deadline looms

European Council president Donald Tusk will travel to Dublin on Friday (1 December) as the deadline for a Brexit deal, including an agreement on the Irish border, looms.

Tusk will discuss Brexit with Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar, focusing on "how to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland", his spokesman said.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Tusk's visit is a signal that the EU will continue to back Ireland's stance.

Dublin is seeking to maintain the rest of the EU's backing its position on the 482km-long border with Northern Ireland ahead of crucial meetings in Brussels on Monday (4 December) and a summit later in December.

Avoiding a hard customs border is a political priority for both the EU-27 and the UK, but the EU expects the UK to spell out how exactly it wants to avert future border checks there.

The Republic of Ireland wants Britain to give written guarantees on how it will ensure that Northern Ireland will not diverge from EU regulations after Brexit, in order to avoid checks.

While maintaining the integrity of the single market, and avoiding a backdoor into Ireland is key for the EU, many fear that a hard border would cut local ties and possibly rekindle sectarian violence on the island of Ireland.

Tusk last week said that Monday an "absolute deadline" for the UK to make proposals was on the key Brexit issues, including Ireland.

On that day, British prime minister Theresa May will travel to Brussels to meet with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, and present her proposals.

She hopes those will be enough for EU leaders to declare at summit, in mid-December, that Brexit negotiations have reached "sufficient progress" and would unlock talks on transition and future relations.

The EU has so far been unanimous in supporting the Irish position, but pressure could grow on that solidarity if all other issues are sorted.

As part of the Brexit financial settlement, which has so far been the key hurdle to moving onto the second phase of the talks, the UK has this week pledged to pay most of what the EU has asked for.

"What has been decided by 28, would be paid by 28," said an EU source familiar with the talks.

It has also accepted the EU's methodology for calculating its share of the burden.

This means that besides the EU budget, the UK has offered to pay for all the EU funds and facilities, such as the Turkey Fund, the European Development Fund, the European Investment Bank – on the condition that everything else in the negotiations falls into place - including the Irish border issue.

The financial offer to the 27 to pay for essentially all the UK commitments could be perceived as thinly-veiled attempt to isolate the Irish position.

"The UK wanted to make the move onto the second phase more attractive for the all the other EU countries," said an EU source.

Irish PM Varadkar on Wednesday told his parliament that he did not believe Ireland would have to use a veto at the EU summit next month if the British refuse to give adequate commitments on the border.

"I am very confident that the European Council will operate by consensus and there will be no need to use or threaten to use a veto," he said.

EU, UK and Irish officials are deeply involved in wording a compromise that would mean enough guarantees for Ireland on the regulatory and border checks issue, while saving the UK government from committing to EU customs rules for now.

In the meantime Varadkar appointed foreign minister Simon Coveney as his deputy, saying "this will enhance his position across Europe in our vital Brexit negotiations".

'We are not there yet', Barnier tells UK

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator dismissed reports on a 'deal' on the divorce bill with the UK, as the Irish border issue remains a key hurdle to move negotiations into the second phase after the December summit.

Barnier: UK must come up with Ireland solution

EU Brexit negotiator tells UK to come up with solutions to the Irish border issue and prepare to include a level playing field in its future trade deal with the EU, if it is to be ratified by member states.

UK has 10 days to make Brexit progress

British prime minister Theresa May was told to make progress on the financial settlement, and Ireland, before talks can move to the next phase.

Tusk: 'Getting closer' to a Brexit deal

A deal is within reach beween the EU and UK on Brexit, as leaders in Dublin and London seemed to have clinched an agreement on the thorny issue of the Irish border.

Interview

Irish border 'crucial' for EU, says Dutch PM

Irish border will be key element in the decision on second phase of Brexit talks, but EU leaders will follow assessment of chief negotiator Barnier.

Opinion

How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon

The EU led support for the waste management crisis in Lebanon, spending around €89m between 2004-2017, with at least €30m spent on 16 solid-waste management facilities. However, it failed to deliver.

Latest News

  1. How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon
  2. EU criminal complicity in Libya needs recognition, says expert
  3. Europe's missing mails
  4. MEPs to urge block on Hungary taking EU presidency in 2024
  5. PFAS 'forever chemicals' cost society €16 trillion a year
  6. EU will 'react as appropriate' to Russian nukes in Belarus
  7. The EU needs to foster tech — not just regulate it
  8. EU: national energy price-spike measures should end this year

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us