British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to set a hard-line tone toward the EU in a speech Monday as the two sides prepare to enter the next phase of trade talks.
Setting out his demands for negotiations in a speech in London, Johnson will say the U.K. wont accept alignment with EU legislation or accept judicial oversight from the EUs top court, The Times reported Sunday.
After Britain left the EU on Friday with Johnson pledging a “new era of friendly cooperation,” the U.K. government over the weekend took a combative tone.
Arguing the EU cannot expect the U.K. to meet its regulatory standards, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Sunday: “Were not going to be aligning with EU rules, thats not on the table … The legislative alignment, it just aint happening.”
Speaking on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Raab confirmed the U.K. is planning to seek a Canada-style tariff-free, quota-based trade agreement with the EU.
But he accused Brussels of having unreasonable requests, for example by demanding that trade disputes be adjudicated by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
“Were not going to have a positive agreement with the EU, thats not going to happen, if they pull the rug and shift the goal post,” Raab said.
The U.K. governments tough talk appeared ill-received by Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who told the BBC that “setting out so boldly such hard red lines actually makes coming to an agreement more difficult … unless those red lines are turned pink in some way.”
Varadkar said legislative alignment — meaning the U.K.s commitment to EU social, environmental and other standards — is crucial to ensure aRead More – Source
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