United Kingdom: No British prime minister could accept European Union demands

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today that no UK prime minister could accept the demands of the European Union to negotiate the future of relations after the end of the Brexit transition period. According to Johnson, an agreement is still possible, but Britain can do without it.

Prime Minister said, our friends in the European Union are currently insisting that if they pass a new law in the future that we do not comply with in this country they want an automatic right to punish us and take countermeasures. And secondly, they say that the United Kingdom should be the only country in the world that does not have sovereign control over its fishing waters. I do not think these are conditions that any prime minister should accept.

The British prime minister also said that the country is ready to end the transitional period, regardless of what kind of future relations with the European Union will eventually be agreed. This country will be ready, whether we have a Canadian or an Australian (free trade) solution. This country, all over the United Kingdom will create jobs not only despite Brexit, but thanks to Brexit.

Despite feverish negotiations in recent days, the two sides have so far failed to reach an agreement governing Britain's relations with the block of 27 European countries after the end of the transition period, i.e. from the beginning of next year. Most of the hundreds of parties to the text of the new agreement have been negotiated, but the parties have not yet been able to find a compromise on three points of contention competition rules, overseeing the resolution of future disputes and fishing rights.

London wants full access to the European Union single market, but according to the European Union in this case Britain must harmonize its competition rules with the block so that its companies do not have an advantage over European ones in the single market, for example as a result of state aid. On the issue of fisheries, the 27 coastal states, with the support of other countries,are trying to ensure that their fishermen retain their current fishing rights in British waters, but Britain wants more favorable quotas for its vessels.

For further discussions on the future of European Union British relations, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Brussels today. Britain left the European block in January and the transitional period, which still follows the same rules as during its membership will end on the last day of this year. It was during the transition period that the parties wanted to agree and write how they envisioned their relations since the beginning of 2021.