Britain - EU meeting today butnNo new backstop proposal at Juncker-Johnson lunch

UK prime minister Boris Johnson had a lunch in Luxembourg on Monday with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. After the meeting, Juncker said it was "the UK's responsibility to come forward with legally-operational solutions", adding the commission was open to proposals to replace the backstop. However, Juncker continued, "such proposals have not yet been made" and that the "EU-27 remain united".

Read more: No new backstop proposal at Juncker-Johnson lunch

Support EU-Digest, which has reported the news without any political affiliation since 2004, and opposes those who seek to discredit and even destroy news organizations who believe in the right of a free Press. You can do that by investing in an advertisement in EU-Digest, or by giving a donation to keep our efforts going : to donate or advertise and pay by credit card, click on: https://www.paypal.com/webapps/hermes?token=8BP18304C1657151J&useraction=commit&mfid=1567106786154_8591ae1288ebf  

Britain - EU Relations: EU negotiator Michel Barnier calls Boris Johnson′s Brexit stance ′unacceptable′

Since taking office on Wednesday and filling his Cabinet with hard-line Brexiteer politicians, Boris Johnson has insisted on striking a new deal with the European Union that would omit the so-called backstop for preventing a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and the British territory of Northern Ireland.

In an email to national governments on Thursday, EU negotiator Michel Barnier wrote that Johnson's demand was "of course unacceptable and not within the mandate of the European Council."

"No deal will never be the EU's choice, but we all have to be ready for all scenarios," Barnier wrote. The EU had to be ready for  Johnson giving "priority" to planning for a no-deal exit, "partly to heap pressure on the unity" on the remaining 27 member states, he added.

Current President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed Barnier's comments he spoke with the new British premier on Thursday. "President Juncker listened to what Prime Minister Johnson had to say, reiterating the EU's position that the Withdrawal Agreement is the best and only agreement possible — in line with the European Council guidelines," Juncker's spokeswoman said after the telephone conversation.

"President Juncker reiterated that the Commission remains available over the coming weeks should the United Kingdom wish to hold talks and clarify its position in more detail," she said.

A spokesman for Johnson's office said the prime minister had told Juncker the backstop would have to be abolished to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Johnson also stated that the withdrawal agreement made between Prime Minister Theresa May and the US would not pass parliament in its current form.

Britain-EU Relations: EU negotiator Michel Barnier calls Boris Johnson′s Brexit stance ′unacceptable′ | News | DW | 25.07.2019

The Digest Group
Almere-Digest
EU-Digest
Insure-Digest 
Turkish-Digest 

For additional information, including advertising rates - e-mail:Freeplanet@protonmail.com

Britain-Brexit: Theresa May says now she does wants to change the backstop, not remove it

Euronews: Brexit: Theresa May says she wants to change backstop, not remove it

Read more at: 

https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/05/watch-live-theresa-may-tries-to-reassure-northern-ireland-over-brexit-backstop

EU Summit: BREXIT EU LEADERS AGREE- Irish backstop should be temporary

EU summit: EU leaders agreed Irish backstop should only be temporary

Read more: 

https://www.euronews.com/2018/12/13/eu-summit-brexit-set-to-dominate-meeting-of-european-chiefs-in-brussels

Germany Digs In Against Risk Sharing in EU Bank-Failure Plan - by Rebecca Christie and Rainer Buergi

Germany argued against a joint backstop for struggling euro-area banks as European finance ministers renewed their debate on how to handle the costs of managing failed lenders.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble called on his colleagues to rein in their ambitions for the Single Resolution Mechanism proposed by the European Commission, which includes a common fund filled by levies on the financial industry. While an agreement is unlikely today, it can be achieved by year-end as long as among European Union member states don’t insist on a joint fund immediately, he said.

“It’s not disputed in principle that we need a European fund,” Schaeuble told reporters yesterday at the start of two days of talks in Brussels. “A fund needs a levy” on banks, “but the levy needs a clear legal basis. There are different opinions on that, but if you want a safe legal basis, you’d better take the safe route.”

Finance ministers are racing to meet a year-end deadline to reach a common position on the bank-failure plan so that a final agreement on the legislation with the European Parliament is possible before the assembly stops work before elections in May. The European Central Bank, which takes over euro-area financial supervision next year, wants a European resolution mechanism in place as soon as possible after it begins oversight.

Read more: Germany Digs In Against Risk Sharing in EU Bank-Failure Plan - SFGate