By Ben Kerrigan-
Brexit talks will need a progress to progress quickly enough to influence the EU to begin trade talks, according to President Jean Claude Juncker
President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters that any commencement of trade talks between the EU and the Uk will occur only ”if miracles happen”. Juncker predicted that there would not be sufficient progress by the end of October, but even if he is right, it does not mean that any existing deadlock would not be broken by November or December . Members of the European Parliament , MEPs, are due to vote on October 3 rd, where they will decide whether sufficient progress has been made so far. The vote is set to occur just before the prime minister’s speech to the conservative conference.
The prime minister will be under pressure to make quick compromises and alterations if MEP’sconclude that not enough progress has been made. The sooner all political areas of dispute are resolved, the quicker the process of leaving the EU successfully would be. The longer it takes to speed up progress, the more doomed Brexit will begin to appear, because of time deadlines ahead. Britain has until March 2019 to complete the process of Brexit, and there are a few hurdles to climb.
DEAD END
Juncker’s comments were an insinuation that the issues of disagreement between the EU and the UK that are restricting progress appear to be a dead end. Theresa May made a positive step early in the week when she promised to pay a big chunk as payment for the UK divorce bill from the EU, prompting Barnier to praise the ”constructive spirit” behind her actions. However, areas of disagreement like the role of the European Courts of justice, continues to present obstacles in the process of moving forward productively on Brexit talks and how things will play out in the end.
Ms May remained optimistic in Estonia where she is attending an EU security summit. The prime minister said there had been progress on issues such as citizens’ rights during the fourth round of Brexit talks.
DOUBT
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk , also expressed doubt that the deadline internally set is unlikely, the EU’s chief negotiator Michael Barnier also added that a decision on opening the second phase of talks could be “weeks or months” away, possibly into the Christmas. If true, it could jeopardize the chances of the Brexit process meeting the timetable set for it. Alternatively, talks may take a slow start then pick up in 2018 in a last minute attempt to make up for lost time.
In the meantime, the UK prime minister has told EU leaders that the UK is ready to continue to unconditionally committed to contributing to maintaining Europe’s security, including contributing to troops, equipment, and money to EU operations, and align foreign policy with Brussels where necessary.
In an address to British troops stationed in the the country the UK was not leaving Europe and was “unconditionally committed to maintaining Europe’s security”.
Some 800 troops have been in Tapa since April, alongside Estonian and French forces, as part of a Nato effort to reassure eastern European nations fearful of Russia’s increasing assertiveness.