EU divided over demands on Britain for single market - Politico
Permanent representatives of the European Union member states failed for the second time to agree on a common negotiating position on the future agreement with the United Kingdom.
According to Censor.NET, with refernce to Politico, the issue of bilateral relations with London had to be postponed again after an inconclusive meeting in Brussels.
Discrepancies between EU countries
The main controversy arose due to the UK's desire to partially return to the EU single market in the areas of electricity and agriculture.
According to Politico, most member states, led by France, believe that Britain should make "immediate payments" as the price for such access.
At the same time, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, and Luxembourg insist on a more moderate position, noting that negotiations should be based on the agreement reached at the summit in May, which did not mention additional contributions.
London rejects Brussels' demand
According to media reports, the British government rejected the EU's initial proposal to contribute €6.75 billion for access to the SAFE rearmament program.
For Keir Starmer's government, this issue is politically sensitive, as the Brexit campaign was based on promises to end financial payments to the EU.
"We want to reset our relationship with Europe, but not return to old financial commitments," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said earlier.
Main points
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The EU has not agreed on a common negotiating position with London;
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France requires mandatory contributions for market access;
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Germany and the Netherlands are in favor of a compromise;
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Britain refused to pay €6.75 billion for participation in the SAFE program;
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Prime Minister Starmer seeks to "reset" relations with the EU without restoring financial dependence.
We previously reported that Belgium enlisted the help of allies to intercept or track drones.
