Germany to Great Britain: Time is running out, stop the game

(Patria) – German Minister for EU Michael Roth has appealed to Great Britain to abandon the planned law that would violate the withdrawal agreement reached with the European Union.

Roth told reporters ahead of the EU ministers' meeting in Brussels that he was 'extremely concerned' about the official London's plan to adopt the Internal Market Bill, which would violate international law.

– Please, dear friends in London, stop the game, time is running out, what we really need is a fair basis for further negotiations, and we are ready for that, Roth told Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government.

The bill is expected to pass the lower house of the British parliament next week, however, it has already disrupted trade agreement negotiations between Great Britain and the EU as it calls into question the adherence to international agreements by this former member of the bloc.

– The Internal Market Bill concerns us extremely because it violates the principles of the withdrawal agreement. And that is completely unacceptable to us, Roth emphasized.  

He added that the EU is 'really, really disappointed' with the results of trade negotiations, which are stalled due to unresolved issues of access to British waters for EU fishermen, fair competition between EU and British companies, as well as a mechanism for resolving future disputes.

Roth also revealed that EU ministers will strongly support the chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and his team, and reiterate their commitment to a fair trade deal based on trust.