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Germany’s position on Brexit — that there can be no discussion of the future U.K. relationship with the EU until the divorce is settled — will remain unchanged no matter who wins September’s election, according to the country’s minister of state for European affairs.
“I can only hope that by fall of this year, we make substantial progress,” Michael Roth told POLITICO. “Otherwise, no negotiations on the future status of the United Kingdom towards the European Union can begin.”
In March, Britain officially launched a two-year negotiation period over its departure from the European Union, pitting its own desire for future trade deals and cooperation against consensus among the remaining 27 EU members that the U.K. must not be allowed to cherry-pick regarding its future relationship.
So far, however, Britain has failed to provide the European Commission with a consistent negotiating position, Roth said in an interview at the foreign ministry in Berlin.
“You’re expecting to get forward-looking answers from me, which are very difficult for me to give,” he said, “because so far, it’s remained completely unclear where this is supposed to be going for the Brits.”
“This makes it damned difficult for us,” he added. “We are excellently prepared. Our negotiating mandate is very detailed, transparent and verifiable. However, what’s still missing is a corresponding answer, and this is something only London can give.” [...]
The German foreign ministry, where Roth is one of two deputies to Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, will not release any estimates on how much they believe Britain should pay on departure to meet its liabilities until certain basic principles of the separation are agreed.
“First of all, for example, it needs to be clarified where we stand when it comes to financial obligations that Great Britain has to fulfill beyond Brexit,” said Roth. “Once we’ve talked about those core elements we can fill the variables with concrete numbers.”
That’s regardless of what’s happening in German politics, he said. [...]
“Brexit is one of the issues where the Social Democrats and [Merkel’s conservatives] are in agreement — despite the election,” he said. “This will not change, no matter what formation will govern Germany after this fall.”
Forget ‘divide and rule’
Don’t expect Germany to backstab the European Commission, which is in charge of negotiating with the U.K. for the remaining 27 member countries, said Roth, making it clear that Berlin will stand up to any potential British attempt to “divide and rule“ the EU27.
“After all, the Commission doesn’t negotiate for itself but at the behest of 27 member countries,” he said. “We all have promised each other and sealed it with a handshake … that there won’t be any side negotiations — which, at the end of the day, would weaken us all.” [...]