Displaying items by tag: EU

The US president called Brussels ‘a brutal trading partner’ and criticised the EU's tough treatment of Britain after it gave the UK a further extension at the special Brexit summit. He finished his critique on a philosophical note, ‘Sometimes in life you have to let people breathe before it all comes back to bite you!’ Brexit talks remain locked, and Brussels has put more pressure on the UK to shift its position. Before the deadlock, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC that allowing a delay weakens the UK’s hand in the talks. Meanwhile many economists believe that as the EU has suffered monetary stagnation and enormous waves of migration, Brussels does not want to lose the UK, its second largest economy and financial centre.

We hear doomsday predictions for what life after Brexit could look like. Pray for God to replace fear and confusion with appropriate preparations for the March deadline. Currently people must show their passports when crossing into or out of the UK, but commercial goods do not need to be checked if they are going to or coming from the EU. Britain needs to secure a free trade agreement with Brussels so that there is no need to harden and slow down the current border set-up, particularly between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Pray for Arlene Foster, whose ten MPs prop up Theresa May's minority government. Ask God to help negotiators to replace the current backstop with a workable solution. May the Brexit brains in the Government have imaginative and flexible thinking to work out a unique solution. See also Europe article 1.

On 7 February, following a ‘robust but constructive’ meeting between Jean-Claude Juncker and Theresa May, who was seeking changes to her Brexit deal, Mr Juncker stressed that the withdrawal agreement would not be redrawn, but he held open the possibility of adding ‘more ambitious’ wording to set out plans for the future relationship. Despite the challenges, the two leaders agreed that their teams should hold talks as to whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council.

Theresa May was handed a two-week deadline to resuscitate her Brexit deal last night and pledged to go back to Brussels to demand changes to the Irish backstop, with only 59 days to go until exit day. But within minutes of the Commons result, the European council president, Donald Tusk, announced that the EU was not prepared to reopen the deal. Steve Baker, the deputy chair of the backbench European Research Group, announced that its members could still reject any renegotiated deal she brought back. ‘A vote for the Brady amendment is a vote to see if the PM can land a deal that will work. If not then we are not committed,’ he said. Pray for the swirl of media comments around Brexit to be free from conjectures and distressing summaries.

‘Father, help us to resist the destructive ploys of the enemy to divide our nation. Give Your strength and peace to our politicians. Give fresh anointing to our government as they carry the mantle for running the country and banish confusion and fear from parliament, replacing it with wisdom from heaven as decisions are made on behalf of the people. Establish your purpose and direction for our nations in the coming weeks. Amen’. On 17 January our newspapers led with news of the Brexit deadlock. While all agree there is political chaos, they disagree about who is to blame: is it Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn or MPs in general? The Guardian said that despite surviving a dramatic no-confidence vote, Mrs May was left scrambling to strike a Brexit compromise, and Tory MPs remain deeply divided about how she should adapt her deal.

Italy’s Five Star Movement is plotting with similar groups in Poland, Croatia, and Finland to shake up the EU and end Brussels control. Luigi di Maio, leader of the anti-establishment party, is meeting with a number of emerging movements across Europe to create a ‘group of direct democracy’ to challenge the ‘current crop of elitist EU parties’. He will also call on the so-called ‘yellow vest’ movement, which has threatened to sink Emmanuel Macron’s reign as French president, to help spearhead the people’s revolution in Brussels, according to Laura Agea, Five Star’s most senior figure in the Belgian capital. She said, ‘Our goal is to be decisive for the next European Parliament. We will focus on direct democracy, the health of citizens, fighting poverty, and defending the excellence of Made in Europe.’

On 12 December, a majority of Conservative MPs declared their confidence in Theresa May as party leader. The next day she went to Brussels to talk to EU leaders, who have told her that there could be clarifications but no major renegotiation. The crucial vote in Parliament on the Brexit deal has now been postponed until January 2019. What might happen if it is rejected? Some believe a no-deal Brexit would be an act of national self-harm: others think a Norway-style deal would make the UK a rule-taker, not a rule-maker. Some believe a general election would risk another hung parliament and continued paralysis: others that a second referendum would intensify social divisions and further undermine parliamentary sovereignty. Britain might have to choose one of these courses of action. See

There are men and women who pray in the European Commission, even though it adopts a neutral position towards all religion and any display of it. However, this does not mean that religion and beliefs are banned from Commission buildings. About 175 staff members, from different denominations and nationalities, take part in one of the seven prayer meetings that gather on a weekly basis on Commission premises. Numbers vary as many can only take short breaks because of their heavy workload. Each prayer group in principle is independent of the others, although there have been some joint events in recent years.

Theresa May will make an unscheduled return visit to Brussels for Brexit talks on 24 November, as the UK and EU strive to do a deal in time for the summit of European leaders the next day. After a two-hour meeting with EU officials on 21 November, the PM said progress was being made on the future shape of EU-UK relations. The EU is now in a race against time to complete the text of an accompanying declaration on its future relations with the UK, covering trade, security and other issues, amid concerns from several member states. Before her first trip to Brussels, Mrs May had come under fire from every imaginable Brexit faction in the House of Commons, but reiterated that her deal delivered on the promises of Brexit and ensured a continued close trading relationship with the EU.

Italy has refused to back down over its expansionary 2019 budget, which EU chiefs claim breaches previous spending agreements. The indebted nation at first unveiled plans for a deficit budget of 2.4% of GDP, three times the previous administration's target. The European Commission rejected the draft and demanded it be revised to a more realistic level. But the Italian government has so far refused to budge, saying the spending plans are in the best interest of the Italian people. Prime minister Salvini has even threatened to veto the next proposed eurozone budget, in retaliation. However, that budget will be available only to those countries which abide by EU rules about budget deficits and debt; so Italy could be left out in the cold if the dispute is not resolved.