UK-EU
Negotiations
2.50 pm
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the
Cabinet Office ()
With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a
statement on the Government’s negotiations on our future
relationship with the European Union.
Yesterday the Prime Minister met the President of the European
Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European
Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the
European Parliament, David Sassoli, via video conference. The
purpose of this high-level meeting, as the political declaration
puts it, was to take stock of progress on the negotiations and to
agree actions to move forward. All parties agreed that now was
the moment to accelerate the pace of these negotiations—in the
Prime Minister’s words, to
“put a tiger in the tank”.
The three Presidents welcomed the Prime Minister’s call for
greater pace, focus and flexibility in the negotiations, and the
tempo of the talks process has now been escalated.
I am pleased to say that both sides pledged yesterday, in a joint
statement that was made public immediately afterwards, that they
would intensify the talks in July and, if possible, seek to find
an early understanding on the principles underlying any
agreement. Our respective chief negotiators and their teams will
therefore intensify talks from the end of this month, starting on
29 June. I also welcome the Commission President’s statement
yesterday that the EU is available 24/7, and we will be too.
Meetings will take place every week in July, with a keen focus on
finding an early understanding on the principles that will
underpin a broad agreement. As the Prime Minister said yesterday,
the faster we can do this, the better. We are looking to get
things done in July. We do not want to see this process going on
into the autumn and then the winter. We all need certainty, and
that is what we are aiming to provide.
Yesterday’s high-level meeting followed the second meeting of the
withdrawal agreement Joint Committee, which took place on Friday
12 June, again via video conference. I am grateful to the
Vice-President of the European Commission,
