Tuesday

28th Mar 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

Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity

From the perspective of international relations, the EU is a rare bird indeed. Theoretically speaking it cannot even exist. The charter of the United Nations, which underlies the current system of global governance, distinguishes between states and organisations of states.

Opinion

EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict

Solar panels, wind-turbines, electric vehicle batteries and other green technologies require minerals including aluminium, cobalt and lithium — which are mined in some of the most conflict-riven nations on earth, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, and Kazakhstan.

Latest News

  1. Dear EU, the science is clear: burning wood for energy is bad
  2. Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity
  3. Finnish elections and Hungary's Nato vote in focus This WEEK
  4. EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict
  5. Okay, alright, AI might be useful after all
  6. Von der Leyen pledges to help return Ukrainian children
  7. EU leaders agree 1m artillery shells for Ukraine
  8. Polish abortion rights activist vows to appeal case

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality
  5. Promote UkraineInvitation to the National Demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on 25.02.2023
  6. Azerbaijan Embassy9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us