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'Op die een of ander manier sal dit 'n nuwe begin wees vir ou vriende' von der Leyen 

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The future relationship of the EU with the UK was low on the agenda for EU leaders meeting for their end of year European Council. Intense negotiations on the new multi-annual budget and recovery package, climate targets for 2030 and Turkey among other issues kept discussions going through the night, the UK was dealt with in a ten-minute update this morning. 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that positions remained far apart on fundamental issues. 

On the level playing field, von der Leyen said that the EU had repeatedly made it clear to the UK that the principle of fair competition is a precondition to privileged access to the EU market and that it is only fair that competitors face the same conditions. She added that the UK was not required to follow the EU every time it decided to raise its level of ambition, for example, in the environmental field. However, while the UK would remain free - “sovereign, if you wish” -  to decide what it wants to do, the EU would simply adapt the conditions for access to its market accordingly. This would apply to the UK and EU on a reciprocal basis. 

On fisheries, von der Leyen said that solutions that “bridge our differences” had not yet been found. She said that the UK must understand the legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleets built on decades and sometimes centuries of access. 

Von der Leyen said that the EU will decide on Sunday whether they had achieved the right conditions for an agreement or not and outlined the contingency measures that provide a short term fix to ensure basic connectivity in air and road transport for six months. There is also a proposal for reciprocal access to waters for 2021. 

In conclusion, von der Leyen said, “one way or another. In less than three weeks. It will be new beginnings for old friends.”

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In a briefing following the summit, Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte advised the British Prime Minister to stay in London and continue to negotiate with Michel Barnier, rather than doing a tour of European capitals.

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