Debate: Future Relations between the EU and the UK
Date: FRIDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2020
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

You know very well that the Commission published its draft agreement and all additional text and documents submitted to the UK in the course of negotiations. As you know, both Michel and myself, but also our teams, have always been ready to brief you in all details. We know that only through the utmost transparency and dialogue we can earn your trust, we can earn your support and I also know that it was thanks to this trust and support that we built this unbreakable European unity which was so important and is still is very important in these negotiations. I would just plead to do the same which we did in this marathon negotiation. Let’s work together and let’s walk this last most difficult mile in this united approach, being fully aware of our priorities and I would like to reassure Mr Lamberts and Mr Lange that your support is absolutely crucial. You consent is decisive. The consent of this House is a key to ratification of the deal, and therefore, I also want to thank you for your support in these exceptional, demanding and difficult – for all of us – circumstances. Many of the honourable Members raised the issue of full respect for social, environmental and labour standards. Almost all those who intervened highlighted the importance of fair competition. Mr Scholz, Ms Loiseau, and many others, I really would like to assure you that we will deliver on all of these priorities, because I fully understand how important it is for the European Union, how important it is for the citizens you represent in this House.  I was listening very carefully to Mr Sikorski and Mr Silva Pereira about the concerns they have on the issue of the rights of the EU citizens, and I want to assure all of you that there’s almost five million people, EU and UK citizens, who are most directly affected by Brexit because of the residence rights, that they will be fully protected. I would say the rights of citizens and full implementation of the Ireland and Northern Ireland protocol being the most important issues which we’ve been negotiating day and night with our UK partners under the withdrawal agreement, and I’m glad to say that on this we have absolute full consensus. Mr Warborn, Mr Kelly and Mr Schirdewan have been highlighting the issue of SMEs, of fisheries and other sectors which might be severely affected by Brexit and, therefore, I’m glad to say that the Brexit adjustment reserve is being finalised as a part of the next multiannual finance perspective. I hope and believe that some of the five billion euros which are aimed at countering the possible adverse consequences in the Member States will be able to compensate the sectors which have been affected the most by the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union.  As you know very well, Europe never leaves their people and their businesses behind, to be fair, to be socially just, this core European value, and I am absolutely sure that we will demonstrate it in this case as well. I also understand the calls of many of you to remind us of the importance of the EU—UK relationship, of the EU—UK friendship between our peoples and I would say that it is exactly because of this that we are engaged in this most comprehensive agreement, to be negotiated in the shortest time in the European Union’s history. If you allow me, I would like to conclude with repeating the words of Ursula von der Leyen and Michel Barnier, that this is now the moment of truth. There is a narrow path to agreement. Our negotiators are currently, now, right at this moment, exploring every possible way how to walk this difficult last mile and how to push the negotiations over the finishing line with positive results. So let us wish them well. Let us wish success in the endeavour so that we can conclude this very difficult chapter and open a new one in our EU—UK relationship. Madam President, honourable Members, thank you very much for this very important and lively debate and I also would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.