Relations between the EU and Britain have always been a bit prickly, but EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday that the Brexit negotiations are beginning to resemble the courtship of two hedgehogs.
"We're not at war with Great Britain," Juncker told the Austrian daily Die Presse in an interview published a day after British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan was rejected as unworkable and unacceptable by the bloc's other 27 members at an informal summit in Salzburg.
"We have to be careful, like two hedgehogs who love each other," Juncker said. "When two hedgehogs embrace, they have to watch out that they don't get scratched."
Juncker insisted that the two sides were "moving closer."
Nevertheless, "the Irish border question is very difficult," he said.
The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is the main sticking point, because when Britain leaves the European Union, it will become an external EU border.
If Britain leaves the bloc's customs union and single market, as it says it wants to, border checks would be required. But both London and Brussels have pledged to avoid any physical infrastructure, a so-called "hard border".
May said in Salzburg she would "shortly" bring forward new proposals on the so-called backstop on how to carry out regulatory checks on goods going in and out of Northern Ireland.
- 'Brexit means Brexit' -
Juncker told Die Presse that it was "also clear that there can be no leaving the EU while retaining the privileges of the community. Brexit means Brexit."
Asked whether the British people should have another say on the exit deal once it had been agreed, Juncker said May had made it clear in Salzburg "that there will no second referendum.
"Nevertheless, the British parliament must vote on the exit deal, and the EU parliament, as well. And not everything that London likes is liked by the EU parliament. One has to look closely for common ground."
Juncker said the situation between Britain and the EU should not be "overdramatised".
Britain "will remain an important partner in trade and security for the EU. But with the British, we're losing a bit of pragmatism. That is why the exit deeply saddens me," Juncker said.
Turning to the other main topic of the Salzburg summit, increased protection of the EU's external borders, Juncker complained that individual member states were complaining about a plan to bolster the Frontex border agency.
"For the past three years there have been calls all over Europe for increased protection of our borders. Now the EU has put forward some suggestions and some countries are campaigning against them," Juncker said.
In particular, the EU has to overcome scepticism in frontline states, such as Italy, Spain and Greece, the main landing points for many refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean, Juncker said.
"We must continue to canvass, explain and convince," he said.
Relations between the EU and Britain have always been a bit prickly, but EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday that the Brexit negotiations are beginning to resemble the courtship of two hedgehogs.
“We’re not at war with Great Britain,” Juncker told the Austrian daily Die Presse in an interview published a day after British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit plan was rejected as unworkable and unacceptable by the bloc’s other 27 members at an informal summit in Salzburg.
“We have to be careful, like two hedgehogs who love each other,” Juncker said. “When two hedgehogs embrace, they have to watch out that they don’t get scratched.”
Juncker insisted that the two sides were “moving closer.”
Nevertheless, “the Irish border question is very difficult,” he said.
The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is the main sticking point, because when Britain leaves the European Union, it will become an external EU border.
If Britain leaves the bloc’s customs union and single market, as it says it wants to, border checks would be required. But both London and Brussels have pledged to avoid any physical infrastructure, a so-called “hard border”.
May said in Salzburg she would “shortly” bring forward new proposals on the so-called backstop on how to carry out regulatory checks on goods going in and out of Northern Ireland.
– ‘Brexit means Brexit’ –
Juncker told Die Presse that it was “also clear that there can be no leaving the EU while retaining the privileges of the community. Brexit means Brexit.”
Asked whether the British people should have another say on the exit deal once it had been agreed, Juncker said May had made it clear in Salzburg “that there will no second referendum.
“Nevertheless, the British parliament must vote on the exit deal, and the EU parliament, as well. And not everything that London likes is liked by the EU parliament. One has to look closely for common ground.”
Juncker said the situation between Britain and the EU should not be “overdramatised”.
Britain “will remain an important partner in trade and security for the EU. But with the British, we’re losing a bit of pragmatism. That is why the exit deeply saddens me,” Juncker said.
Turning to the other main topic of the Salzburg summit, increased protection of the EU’s external borders, Juncker complained that individual member states were complaining about a plan to bolster the Frontex border agency.
“For the past three years there have been calls all over Europe for increased protection of our borders. Now the EU has put forward some suggestions and some countries are campaigning against them,” Juncker said.
In particular, the EU has to overcome scepticism in frontline states, such as Italy, Spain and Greece, the main landing points for many refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean, Juncker said.
“We must continue to canvass, explain and convince,” he said.
