EU’s unsparing question to UK: now what kind of future relations do you want?

British Prime Minister Theresa May (first from right) meets with European Council President Donald Tusk (first from left) while in Sweden for the Gothenburg Social Summit. Taken on November 17, 2017. UK Government work, some rights reserved.

This week, the countdown starts for Britain to offer final answers, about the three Brexit prerequisites: the divorce alimony, the future of the 4.5 million European citizens who work on the wrong side of the English Channel and the Irish border. Only then will Brussels pass to the second phase of the talks, to discuss future trade and economic relations with London. At least, this was the deal until last week. However today, Monday, Theresa May the UK premier, meets Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission head, to confer about moving the Brexit talks to the next stage, that is the future relations between EU and the UK. On Wednesday, the permanent representatives of the 27 EU members will meet to evaluate it. On 27 November this newspaper published an article entitled “Britain offers more money for an orderly Brexit but the Irish question resurges”. It said London is finally prepared to more or less meet Brussels’ demand for an exit toll of around €50 billion and secure the future of expatriates. This arrangement, though, leaves the Irish border question pending. In any case, the willingness of Britain to honor her obligations to the EU budget has unlocked the Brexit negotiations and the passage to the second stage may happen soon. Let’s dig in the details. The prerequisites With two of the three main prerequisites almost settled, the 27 EU leaders who are expected to meet on 14 December could give the green light for the Brexit negotiations to pass to the second phase. This is of vital importance to Britain, because it’s about the future trade, economic and financial relations between the two sides. As it always happens with crucial EU issues though, there will be no clear final solution until the very last minute. The Brussels negotiators fear that after some months, if trade talks don’t go in the direction the UK wants, London may reverse its promise about money. Equally foggy is the Irish situation, with Britain playing down the problem. As a result, what the 27 EU leaders are about to decide next week, won’t be a full scale opening of the second stage of negotiations about the future relations. Not before the issues pertaining to the past are settled. A formula will be found to refer the beginning of trade negotiations well into 2018, without openly saying that the prerequisites are or are not fulfilled. UK’s political inferno In the meantime, the internal political scenery in Britain is deteriorating fast, at least for the Conservatives. The influential hard Brexiteer right-wing group within the Tories is increasingly terrified with the growing influence and penetration of Jeremy Corbyn, the left wing leader of Labour Party. In view of that, those Tories cannot push Prime Minister Theresa May as hard as they did until recently, towards a no-deal disorderly Brexit. If they do, May could resign and Corbyn could win the next election. This is the worst nightmare for the Brexiteer Tories. It constitutes the only reason why they gave their consent for the latest step, in which Britain nearly meets the Brussels demand for the divorce alimony. Al taken into account though, mainland Europeans have lost confidence with the British governing party. Nobody in France, Germany and elsewhere in mainland Europe forgets the arrogant and derogatory attitude towards the EU, after the referendum of 23 June 2016. Brussels’ ‘technology’ Consequently, Brussels do not actually intend to start talking about trade, before all prerequisites are settled and signed. But how can Brussels have it both ways – pass on to the second phase of negotiations, but not really starting it? The EU has the ‘technology’ for that. Michel Barnier, the head of the EU negotiators of Brexit will very probably pose the unsparing question to his British counterpart David Davis and the UK team: and now what kind of future trade relations you have in mind? The Brits will have grave political problems to answer this inquiry. Half of them want full scale relations and the other half vies for quite the opposite. In this way, Brussels plans to procrastinate on the decision about the fulfillment of the prerequisites. Even more important, Brussels will press London to explain in detail want kind of access to the internal EU market and customs union they want. If they want full access, Brexit loses almost all its meaning. In this case though, the UK will pay dearly for such a first class ticket. If the UK plans otherwise, Britain will be charged with tolls on a case by case basis. This is really the shopping list case which the Europeans are masters in bargaining about. The Irish schism While in this way the Brexit horizon is more or less clarifying, the Irish question threatens to upset the entire arrangement. The Irish Republic, the Eire, will not accept a solution involving the installation of hard borders, cutting the island in two. Phil Hogan, the Eire European Commissioner said his country can go as far as veto a Brexit deal, if it doesn’t provide for undeterred border crossings. On the other side, the Anglophiles of the right wing, monolithic DUP party of Northern Ireland maintain they won’t accept a solution, which doesn’t provide for Northern Ireland to exit the EU on exactly the same terms as the rest of the UK. For DUP’s demand to be satisfied, the enactment of a hard border is inevitable. This is because EU’s internal market and customs union have to be protected. Brussels will never tolerate a 499 km hole in EU’s external borders. An uncertain opening Still, on 14 December, the 27 leaders are reportedly expected to give the green light for the Brexit talks, to pass to the second phase, where future trade and economic relations will be decided. As mentioned above, this green light will not be so bright. It will just illuminate Theresa May’s uncertain way through Britain’s treacherous political landscape. It’s the first time that Brussels offers a helping hand to May. Mainland Europeans reckon the Tory Brexiteers won’t dare bring her down, even if she pays dearly for her way out from the EU and vies to keep wide open the European door for the UK.  

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Interesting reads

Aytac Mammadova is a third-year Public Health student at Azerbaijan Medical University

Inclusive Healthcare: Improving Accessibility and Care for Disabled Patients through Investment and Workforce Innovation

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a Scientist-Physician (MBBS, MD) at Tallinn University of Technologye. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on […]
© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov Workers secure plywood boards over the shattered windows of a residential building damaged by a missile strike in eastern Ukraine. (file)

Ukraine: UN aid convoy reaches frontlines in Dnipro

This article is published in association with United Nations. A UN humanitarian convoy reached frontline communities in Ukraine’s Dnipro region on Wednesday, delivering critical medical and hygiene supplies as fighting continues to take a heavy toll on civilians and infrastructure across the country. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that access to the town had been […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A child helps to pitch his family's tent after it collapsed during heavy rain in Gaza.

UN warns civilians remain at risk as airstrikes continue across Gaza

This article is published in association with United Nations. Fresh airstrikes and shelling across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours have put civilians at renewed risk and compounded months of hardship, the UN said on Tuesday, warning that humanitarian needs continue to outpace access and capacity. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the […]
United Nations Palestinian families are being evicted from the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

West Bank: New Israeli measures further erode prospects for two-State solution

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres voiced grave concern on Monday over the reported decision by the Israeli security cabinet to authorize a series of administrative and enforcement measures in Areas A and B in the occupied West Bank.  The measures would make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian […]
© Unsplash/Hosein Charbaghi A view of Tehran, Iran's capital city.

Guterres welcomes resumption of Iran-US talks

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday welcomed the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States.  The development follows weeks of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and threats of a US military attack.  Delegations headed by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign […]
© State Specialized Enterprise IAEA inspectors help ensure safety at Ukrainian nuclear power plants. .

Ukraine war keeps nuclear safety on a knife-edge, UN watchdog warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. Attacks on Ukraine’s power system highlight how the ongoing war threatens the safety of the country’s nuclear facilities, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Friday.  Russian forces have been carrying out strikes on critical infrastructure amid freezing winter temperatures as their full-scale invasion approaches the […]
This article is published in association with United Nations.

Disability-Inclusive Healthcare: Breaking Barriers to Equity

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Mechoiteu Jijou Berny is a seventh-year medical student at Université des Montagnes in Bangangté, West Region of Cameroon. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and […]
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Mr. Andrew Gardner, a strategic and international business consultant. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue.

Most European Countries are not yet Prioritising European-Made Arms 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by one of our passionate readers, Mr. Andrew Gardner, a strategic and international business consultant. The opinions expressed within reflect only the writer’s views and not necessarily The European Sting’s position on the issue. In October 2025, the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) was approved by the European […]
UN chief warns of ‘grave moment’ as final US-Russia nuclear arms treaty expires

UN chief warns of ‘grave moment’ as final US-Russia nuclear arms treaty expires

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the expiration of the New START treaty represents a “grave moment” for international peace and security, as binding limits on US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons fall away amid heightened global tensions. In a statement issued as the treaty expired at midnight GMT Thursday, he said the world […]
UN Ukraine A residential building in Ukraine shows signs of damage following overnight attacks.

Ukraine: Civilians injured, miners killed, in separate Russian attacks

This article is published in association with United Nations. A fresh wave of Russian strikes overnight across Ukraine injured several people and left thousands “without heat in the heart of winter,” the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said on Tuesday.  Matthias Schmale was “appalled” by the attacks in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv, noting that many more people in several […]
UN News An injured child waits in the courtyard of Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis.

Gaza: Limited Rafah crossing reopening sparks hope – but also ‘massive trepidation’

This article is published in association with United Nations. The reopening of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday after more than a year is being met with both optimism and fear, a senior official with the UN agency that assists the Palestinian people, UNRWA, has said.  The sole border point with Egypt is a […]
WFP Children in Fangak county, Jonglei State eat a cooked meal of sorghum. WFP provides food rations to food insecure families containing sorghum, oil, salt, peas and maize (January 2022).

South Sudan: ‘All the conditions for a human catastrophe are present’

This article is published in association with United Nations. Military tensions in South Sudan are “rapidly expanding” between Government forces and opposition militia as fighting continues in restive Jonglei state. Briefing journalists based at UN Headquarters in New York on Friday, Anita Kiki Gbeho, Officer in Charge of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said […]
© UNICEF/Oleksii Fili Children's toys are covered in snow outside a residential building in Kyiv during prolonged winter power and heating outages.

World News in Brief: Syria ceasefire welcomed, ‘Olympic truce’, Ukraine’s freezing children

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has welcomed a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian Government and the mainly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), urging all parties to seize the moment to protect civilians and prevent further violations in the country’s northeast.  “We welcome efforts to bring stability […]
This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Frank Shao is a Tanzanian medical student. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Access to Healthcare: is it too much to ask?

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Mr. Khalil Al Bilani is a 5th-year medical student at Saint George’s University of Beirut. He is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect […]
UN Photo/Manuel Elías Ramiz Alakbarov (on screen), Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

Potential turning point for Gaza as peace plan enters second phase: UN envoy

This article is published in association with United Nations. The start of a second phase of a stabilisation plan for Gaza offers a potential turning point for the war-ravaged enclave, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday. Ramiz Alakbarov warned that risks of violence escalating again remain high, while the situation in the […]
This article is published in association with United Nations.

Gaza ceasefire improves aid access, but children still face deadly conditions

The fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is making a difference to the lives of over a million children, and improving overall access to food – but more aid still needs to enter.  That’s the assessment of two senior officials from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP), speaking on Monday to journalists in New York following a […]

A new blow for UNRWA as headquarters in East Jerusalem ‘set on fire’

© UNRWA Destruction at UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem after Israeli authorities sent in bulldozers on 20 January. This article is published in association with United Nations. The head of embattled UN relief agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, has condemned reports that its headquarters in East Jerusalem have been set alight deliberately. It comes after Israeli authorities […]
© UNHCR/Yevheniia Kozun This cinema in Saltivka, Kharkiv, was hit during an earlier strike (file Jan 2026).

‘Cycle of attacks must end’: Lead UN official in Ukraine

This article is published in association with United Nations. The senior UN official in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, has issued a condemnation of the massive overnight Russian drone and missile strike on several major Ukrainian cities, killing and injuring civilians, and knocking out energy infrastructure amid sub-zero temperatures. The attacks on some of Ukraine’s most important population […]
WHO/P. Virot The flag of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) flies at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

US withdrawal from WHO ‘risks global safety’, agency says in detailed rebuttal

This article is published in association with United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed statement regretting the United States decision to leave the UN agency, and declaring that it will leave both the US and the world less safe as a result. The statement, released on Saturday, also includes a rebuttal of […]

Why don't you drop your comment here?

Go back up

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology – europeansting.com