EU Dangles 'Farage Clause' as Brexit Reset Talks with UK Hit Snag
In a surprising twist, the EU is reportedly demanding that the UK commit to paying billions of pounds if it were to back out of future agreements on trade with the bloc. The proposed "Farage clause" has sparked controversy among UK politicians and experts, who claim it's a routine provision in international deals.
The Brexit "reset" agreement, currently being negotiated by Keir Starmer, aims to remove post-Brexit checks on farm produce and other goods. However, EU officials have insisted that the UK would be responsible for covering the costs of reinstating border controls if either side were to pull out of the agreement. This provision has been dubbed "the Farage clause" due to its potential implications for British politicians.
UK sources dismissed this notion as a common practice in international trade agreements, stating that such provisions would also apply to the EU if it backed out of the deal. However, EU officials argue that the UK needs these agreements more than they do, and will therefore extract every last concession.
The proposed "Farage clause" is seen as a means of ensuring the bloc is not left out of pocket should the Reform leader win a general election and threaten to cancel any UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. However, critics argue that such provisions are routine and not unique to this deal.
As negotiations on key issues like agriculture trade and carbon dioxide emissions continue, it's clear that both sides are far from reaching an agreement. The UK government has been approached for comment, but so far, no statement has been made on the matter.
In a surprising twist, the EU is reportedly demanding that the UK commit to paying billions of pounds if it were to back out of future agreements on trade with the bloc. The proposed "Farage clause" has sparked controversy among UK politicians and experts, who claim it's a routine provision in international deals.
The Brexit "reset" agreement, currently being negotiated by Keir Starmer, aims to remove post-Brexit checks on farm produce and other goods. However, EU officials have insisted that the UK would be responsible for covering the costs of reinstating border controls if either side were to pull out of the agreement. This provision has been dubbed "the Farage clause" due to its potential implications for British politicians.
UK sources dismissed this notion as a common practice in international trade agreements, stating that such provisions would also apply to the EU if it backed out of the deal. However, EU officials argue that the UK needs these agreements more than they do, and will therefore extract every last concession.
The proposed "Farage clause" is seen as a means of ensuring the bloc is not left out of pocket should the Reform leader win a general election and threaten to cancel any UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. However, critics argue that such provisions are routine and not unique to this deal.
As negotiations on key issues like agriculture trade and carbon dioxide emissions continue, it's clear that both sides are far from reaching an agreement. The UK government has been approached for comment, but so far, no statement has been made on the matter.
. I mean, it does seem like a pretty standard provision in international trade agreements, right? But at the same time, it's hard to shake off the feeling that the EU is trying to squeeze every last bit of concessions out of the UK 
. The idea that the UK needs these agreements more than the EU does just doesn't add up to me. And if this clause is really about protecting the bloc from being left out of pocket, then why didn't they just negotiate a similar deal with other countries? It's just another reason to be skeptical about these talks 
. I'm still hopeful that a good Brexit deal can be reached, but it's going to take some serious negotiations if we're going to get there 
.
I'm getting so frustrated with all these Brexit drama 
! Can't we just focus on what's good for everyone? 
Like, what if Farage actually wins that election and they can't agree on anything? Who gets stuck with the bill? 
But you know what? It's actually kinda refreshing to see both sides getting all worked up over this. Maybe it'll push them to come to some sort of compromise 
and get us closer to a real Brexit resolution 
the EU thinks they can just throw around this "Farage clause" and get away with it? like, come on guys, you're trying to strong-arm the UK into agreeing to whatever deal you want without even considering their needs? that's not how international trade works, folks. the UK is perfectly capable of handling its own affairs, no need for some EU puppet master pulling the strings. and by the way, who exactly is this "reform leader" guy supposed to be? sounds like just another politician trying to get ahead by making empty threats 
, dont believe all the EU spin that it's routine provision. its obvious they want to keep UK under their boot and if starmer pulls this deal, they'll be the ones getting roasted for reneging on agreements 
