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Last minute negotiations on the Brexit resume this Wednesday, October 16, 2019 after a night of talks. The replacement of the famous safety net for Ireland is still negotiated step by step. But the last details are apparently very complicated to finalize.
with our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
The lights on the fifth floor of the European Commission headquarters, where the discussions are taking place, remained on all night. There is hope for an agreement, according to the Europeans. The latter have shown their optimism since they consider it possible to envisage the establishment of customs controls in the Irish Sea and no longer between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The lifting of this red line by the British government is now certain, it was the stumbling block of this new safety net. This would de facto maintain Northern Ireland in the single European market, or even the Customs Union, which would create a virtual border with Great Britain and cut the United Kingdom in half.
Towards another summit on Brexit?
Blocking points remained around competition issues. The central point of these last-minute negotiations is the ability of both parties to come up with a legal and binding text. The negotiators had set a deadline on Wednesday, to be able to present this Thursday at the European summit a version ready to be endorsed and certainly not negotiable.
Heads of State and Government do not want an enduring summit, held hostage by Brexit. In case this text is not ready in time, the idea of a new extraordinary European summit on Brexit is more and more mentioned. It should be held by the end of the month and open the door to a hypothetical new Brexit report.
► See also: UK, the City versus Brexit