The French president,Emmanuel Macron,welcomed theBrexitdeal as he arrived at the EU summit earlier, but stressed that it still had to get through the UK and EU parliaments.
“Based on past experience we have to be reasonably cautious,” he said.
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From Reuters’Luke Baker
Here isKatya Adler,the BBC’sEuropeeditor, on Jean -Claude Juncker’s comments.
Lisa O’Carroll
Manufacturing Northern Irelandhas given a “ guarded welcome ”the Brexit agreement saying it“ removes the risk of a catastrophic no deal ”but raises concerns about the administrative and financial burden o n the new arrangements that will apply on some trade intoNorthern Ireland.
If it is approved, expect NorthernIrelandbusiness to be looking for substantial help on both points – the paperwork and costs – from London .
Stephen Kelly, Manufacturing NI’s chief executive, said:
What is good is that a deal is struck, we can move on to the more positive conversation about the future relationship and regardless Northern Ireland can continue to have tariff free, quota free access to both the UK and the EU’s single market.
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More on the significance of Jean-Claude Juncker’s comments about the EU not agreeing to a furtherBrexitextension.
These are from Sky’sLewis Goodall.
And this is from the BBC’sNorman Smith.
‘There will be no prolongation’ – What Juncker said about not allowing an extension
This is whatJean-Claude Juncker,president of the European commission, said about ruling out aBrexitextension. He was speaking to reporters on the “red carpet” where leaders speak to journalists as they arrive for the summit.
Asked if he thought the deal would pass parliament, he said: “It has to.”
Then he added:
Anyway, there will be no prolongation.
He went on:
We have concluded a deal. So there is not an argument for delay. It has to be done now.
Asked by another journalist if he would rule out an extension ifBoris Johnsonasked for that, Juncker replied:
I gave a brief doorstop with Boris Johnson … half an hour ago and I was ruling out that there will be any kind of prolongation. If we have a deal, we have a deal, and there is no need for prolongation. That is not only the British view; that is my view too.
Asked again if he would officially rule out an extension, he replied:
Yes. We have a deal. So why should we have a prolongation?
But, as my colleagueJennifer Rankinpoints out, it is questionable whether, in practice, the EU 27 would rule out another extension if the alternative were no deal.
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EU will not grant any further extension, says Juncker, implying MPs must choose between this deal and no deal
Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, has said the EU will not grant another Brexit extension.
This is hugely significant, because, if the rest of the EU 27 agree – and it is not clear yet whether he is speaking on their behalf – it means MPs will effectively be faced with a choice between this deal and no deal.
Updated (at 9.) am EDT
Sinn Féin welcomes deal as ‘least worst option’
Sinn Fein has welcomed Boris Johnson’sBrexitdeal. In a statement its president,Mary Lou McDonald,said:
I welcome the fact that an agreement has been reached between theEuropean Unionand the British government.
There is no such thing as a good Brexit. Brexit is being foisted on the north ofIrelandagainst the democratic wishes of the people.
As a party, Sinn Féin has worked to defend Irish interests from the worst impacts of Brexit.
It was Sinn Féin who first made the case for a ‘designated special status for the north within the EU’ and it was Sinn Féin who insisted on the protection of the Good Friday agreem ent and no hard border on the island of Ireland as bottom lines.
We have also insisted that no veto can be given to unionism.
But she also said any deal was a “least worst option” that would “only mitigate the worst effects of Brexit”.
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Boris Johnsonhas just given a brief statement to the press at the EU summit alongsideJean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president. Juncker said the deal was fair and balanced. He said:
This is a fair, a balanced agreement. It is testament to our commitment to finding solutions. It provides certainty whereBrexitcreates Uncertainty.
And Johnson said this was a very good deal for both sides. He said:
I do think this deal represents a very good deal for the EU and the UK.
I think it is a reasonable, fair outcome and reflect the large amount of work undertaken by both sides …
I agree very much with Jean-Claude about what he said about protecting the peace process on the island of Ireland andNorthern Ireland.
Of course, for us in the UK it means we can deliver a real Brexit that achieves our objectives.
It means the UK leaves whole and entire on 31 October and it means that NorthernIrelandand every part of the UK can take part in not just free trade deals, offering our tariffs, exporting our goods around the world, but it also means we can take, together as a single United Kingdom, decisions about our future – our laws, our borders, our money and how we want to run the UK.
Those decisions will be taken in the UK by elected representatives of the people in the UK.
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