Tag Archives: European Union

The New York Times reports: Just as Britain appeared on the cusp of a history-making, up-or-down vote on its long-delayed departure from the European Union, the British Parliament struck an impasse on Saturday as lawmakers adopted a measure that delayed a vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal with Brussels. The turbulent events left Mr. Johnson’s agreement in limbo, …

The Evening Standard reports: Hundreds of thousands of people have descended on London to demand a final say on Britain’s exit from the European Union. Huge numbers are marching through the capital as part of the People’s Vote demonstration, which is taking place as MPs sit for the first Saturday since the Falklands War to decide the fate of Brexit. …

Agence France-Presse reports: The United States imposed tariffs on a record $7.5-billion worth of European Union goods on Friday, despite threats of retaliation, with Airbus, French wine and Scottish whiskies among the high-profile targets. The tariffs, which took effect just after midnight in Washington (0401 GMT), came after talks between European officials and US trade representatives failed to win a …

The BBC reports: A Brexit deal has been agreed between UK and EU negotiating teams before a meeting of European leaders in Brussels. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: “We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control.” The two sides have been working on the legal text of a deal, but it will still need the approval of both …

Reuters reports: Poland’s ruling conservative nationalist party won parliamentary elections on Sunday, a result that likely will lead it to seek to exert even more control over the country’s judiciary and deepen a showdown with the European Union. Preliminary results showed the Law and Justice party won about 44% of the vote, giving it a majority in the 460-seat lower …

Agence France-Presse reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday set out his government’s priorities at a parliamentary ceremony full of pomp and pageantry attended by the queen, with Brexit top of the agenda. But with time running out for an amicable divorce deal before EU leaders meet later this week, few of the proposals look likely to be enacted, …

The Guardian reports: A breakthrough in the Brexit talks has failed to materialise after a weekend of intensive negotiations, with European Union capitals concluding that it may now be impossible for the UK to leave the EU by 31 October with a deal. In a briefing to EU ambassadors on Sunday evening, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, raised the …

The Hill reports: President Trump will impose 25-percent tariffs on certain E.U. agricultural exports and 10-percent tariffs on European-brand aircraft on Oct. 18, the White House announced Wednesday. A senior administration official told reporters during Wednesday briefing that the full list of European goods subject to tariffs will be released as soon as this evening by the White House Office …

The Associated Press reports: The U.K. will offer the European Union a proposed Brexit deal on Wednesday that represents a compromise for both sides, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he urged the bloc to meet Britain halfway and allow for the country’s orderly departure after years of wrangling. Johnson’s speech to Conservative Party members at their annual conference …

The Guardian reports: Companies across Britain have begun stockpiling beer, wine and spirits to keep the alcohol flowing at Christmas as concerns grow that Brexit could disrupt supplies over the festive period. Rushing to bring forward their imports, firms warn that the Brexit deadline on 31 October stands to clash with the run-up to Christmas, when import volumes rise, temporary …

The Washington Post reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s dreams of an election that would clear his path to Brexit by the end of October were decisively dashed after midnight Tuesday morning, leaving him with no obvious means of making good on his vow of a “do or die” exit from the European Union. The latest obstacle to Johnson’s plans …

Courthouse News reports: The Netherlands has seen a fivefold increase in British investments as the deadline approaches for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, according to the Dutch government. Following the Brexit referendum in 2016, wherein the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, British investment in Dutch businesses has increased sharply. The U.K. is set to …

The BBC reports: Amber Rudd has quit Boris Johnson’s cabinet, with an outspoken attack on the government’s approach to Brexit. The ex-work and pensions secretary said the government was having no “formal negotiations” with the EU about a new deal, only “conversations”. Instead, 80-90% of Brexit work was spent preparing for an “inferior” no-deal option, she said. In her resignation …

The Economist reports: When the food riots start, says Linda, a university administrator from Brighton, “I plan to watch them on TV enjoying a nice puttanesca whipped up from the Brexit cupboard.” Often included on no-deal-Brexit recipe lists, the fiery pasta dish from Naples requires nothing fresh. From her stash of tins and frozen veg, Linda is self-sufficient for up …

The BBC reports: Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is resigning as an MP and minister, saying he is “torn between family loyalty and the national interest”. The business minister and Tory MP for Orpington, south-east London, cited an “unresolvable tension” in his role. Mr Johnson voted Remain in the 2016 EU membership referendum, while his …

The Scotland Herald reports: The pound has slumped to its lowest level against the US dollar since 1985, surpassing a previous 2017 low to be worth less than 1.20 dollars. The present weakness has been caused by jittery markets as MPs return from summer recess and the chances of a general election rising, causing more Brexit uncertainty and angst. Rebel …

The BBC reports: Boris Johnson has said the chances of a Brexit deal are “touch and go” – having previously said the odds of a no-deal Brexit were “a million to one”. In a BBC interview at the G7 summit in France, he said it “all depends on our EU friends and partners”. When pressed on the chances, he said: …

The Guardian reports: The UK will be hit with a three-month meltdown at its ports, a hard Irish border and shortages of food and medicine if it leaves the EU without a deal, according to government documents on Operation Yellowhammer. The documents predict severe extended delays to medicine supplies and shortages of some fresh foods combined with price rises as …

The Independent reports: The pound fell again on Friday after shock figures revealed UK economy shrunk for the first time since 2012 as the country lurches closer to recession and a calamitous no-deal Brexit. Sterling was down 0.3 per cent against both the dollar and the euro on the back of news that GDP unexpectedly contracted 0.2 per cent in …

Reuters reports: Britain is doubling spending on preparations for a no-deal Brexit this year as Prime Minister Boris Johnson sets his sights on leaving the European Union with or without a divorce deal at the end of October. Johnson’s finance minister Sajid Javid has set aside an extra 2.1 billion pounds of new spending to stockpile medicines, hire more border …