EU responds to Brexit with a stick and carrot

European Council President Donald Tusk responded to the United Kingdom’s notification of its intent to withdraw from the the European Union:

EU offers Brexit trade talks, sets tough transition terms

31 March 2017

The European Union offered Britain talks this year on a future free trade pact but made clear in negotiating guidelines issued on Friday that London must first agree to EU demands on the terms of Brexit.

Those include paying tens of billions of euros and giving residence rights to some 3 million EU citizens in Britain, the proposed negotiating objectives distributed by EU summit chair Donald Tusk to Britain’s 27 EU partners showed.

The document, seen by Reuters, also sets tough conditions for any transition period, insisting Britain must accept many EU rules after any such partial withdrawal. It also spelled out EU resistance to Britain scrapping swathes of tax, environmental and labor laws if it wants to have an eventual free trade pact. …

The Union’s opening gambit in what Tusk said would at times be a “confrontational” negotiation with May’s government also rammed home Brussels’ insistence that while it was open to letting Britain retain some rights in the EU during a transition after 2019, it would do so only on its own terms.

Britain would have to go on accepting EU rules, such as free migration, pay budget contributions and submit to oversight by the European Court of Justice — all things that drove last June’s referendum vote to leave and elements which May would like to show she has delivered on before an election in 2020. …

“Should a time-limited prolongation of Union acquis be considered, this would require existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory and enforcement instruments and structures to apply,” Tusk’s draft guidelines stated in reference to a transition period that diplomats expect could last two to five years to smooth Brexit. …

Tusk spelled out priorities for the withdrawal treaty, which Barnier hopes can be settled by November 2018, in time for parliamentary ratification by Brexit Day on March 29, 2019:

– the EU wants “reciprocal” and legal “enforceable” guarantees for all EU citizens who find their rights to live in Britain affected after a cutoff on the date of withdrawal

– businesses must not face a “legal vacuum” on Brexit

– Britain should settle bills, including “contingent liabilities” to the EU

– agreement on border arrangements, especially on the new EU-U.K. land border in Ireland, as well as those of British military bases on EU member Cyprus. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-idUSKBN171391

31 March 2017

The EU has outlined its Brexit strategy, suggesting trade talks could begin after “sufficient progress” on a separation settlement with the UK.

The draft guidelines, announced by European Council President Donald Tusk in Malta, advocate a “phased approach”.

They will be sent to the 27 member states for approval and will set the tone for two years of negotiations.

In Brussels, the EU’s foreign policy chief suggested the EU could manage without the UK in defence matters.

At a news conference, Mr Tusk said: “Starting parallel talks on all issues at the same time as suggested by some in the UK will not happen.

“Only once we have achieved sufficient progress on the withdrawal can we discuss the framework for our future relationship.”

Talks would be “difficult, complex and sometimes even confrontational”, he predicted, but the EU would not “pursue a punitive approach”. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39453338

The EU is essentially telling the UK it has control and things must be done on its terms–the stick. Then, in maybe 2-5 years the UK can get some type of trade deal–the carrot. Taking the position that the EU does not need the UK’s assistance of defense matters seems to be telling the the UK that the EU does not feel it needs it for anything.

It is not likely that the leadership of the UK likes what the EU is currently proposing.

UPDATE: Added this later today:

31 March 2017

The EU has put the future of Gibraltar at stake in the coming Brexit negotiations, in effect backing Spain in its centuries-old dispute with the UK over the British overseas territory.

After lobbying from Spanish diplomats, the EU’s opening negotiating position for the Brexit talks presents the British government with the choice of reaching agreement with the Spaniards about Gibraltar’s future, or exposing its citizens to economic peril by pushing “the rock” outside any EU-UK trade deal.

“The union will stick up for its members, and that means Spain now,” a senior EU official said. Residents of Gibraltar, which Spain has sought to reclaim almost since it was ceded to Britain in 1713 …

The surprise clause gives Spain the ability to exclude Gibraltar from any UK-EU transitional single market access arrangement or future trade deal if it is not satisfied with the status of the territory.

It says that once the UK leaves the bloc “no agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom”.

This suggests that unless Britain is willing to let its citizens on “the rock” be subject to an inferior economic future than those in the UK, the EU has in effect handed the Spanish government a veto on Britain’s entire future relationship with the bloc.

A senior UK source with knowledge of EU negotiations said the clause was extraordinary because it effectively signalled a lack of total British sovereignty over Gibraltar. It gives Spain a greater say over the future of Gibraltar than the British government is likely to be willing to accept, the source said .https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/31/future-of-gibraltar-at-stake-in-brexit-negotiations

31 March 2017

Gibraltar has accused Spain of manipulating the European Council for its own political interests.

A draft document on the EU’s Brexit strategy said no agreement on the EU’s future relationship with the UK would apply to Gibraltar without the consent of Spain, giving it a potential veto.

But Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabian Picardo said this was “unacceptable”.

Conservative MPs in the UK have warned that the sovereignty of the UK overseas territory is non-negotiable.

MP Jack Lopresti said Spain was using Brexit as “a fig leaf for trouble making”, while fellow Tory Bob Neill tweeted “no sell out”.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke to Mr Picardo as the UK government attempted to reassure Gibraltar and said: “As ever, the UK remains implacable and rock-like in our support for Gibraltar.”

An EU source told the BBC the inclusion of the Gibraltar issue in the document had come after lobbying from Spain.

Spain has long contested Britain’s 300 year-rule of Gibraltar.

Gibraltarians, who number about 30,000, rejected by 99% to 1% the idea of the UK sharing sovereignty with Spain, in a vote in 2002.

However, Spain has continued to press its territorial claim.

In the wake of last June’s EU referendum – in which Gibraltar voted by 96% to 4% to remain in the EU – Spain’s then foreign minister suggested shared sovereignty could allow Gibraltarians to maintain some of the benefits of EU membership and enable Spain to “plant its flag” there. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39453535

Consider that 99% of those in Gibraltar voted to remain part of the UK and not Spain when there was a vote. The Brexit matter seems to complicate that and may result in the UK deciding that it really cannot negotiate with the EU if it wants to keep Gibraltar. I believe that the UK will one-day lose Gibraltar. And I have been saying that for years (see also Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands?).

Some believe that UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s positions would result in a type of a “hard Brexit” (see British Supreme Court rules that Parliament must approve Brexit, but …) and that may be the direction her people will take. Notice that seems to have support in Europe:

Germany Pushes for ‘Hard Brexit’ to Deter Further EU Losses

31 March 2017

Germany’s finance minister Wolfgang Schauble has warned the UK that it will not be able to enjoy the same rights it once did, which could put the position of London as one of the leading financial centers of the world at risk. Schauble’s comments come days after the UK triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, starting the Brexit process.

The influential German finance minister Mr. Schauble is eyeing Brexit negotiations with a key goal in mind: to prevent further fragmentation among the remaining 27 members. He told a German newspaper Osnabruecker Zeitung that “it is of course important that we keep the rest of the EU together.” https://sputniknews.com/europe/201703311052163752-germany-hard-brexit-push/

The Europeans do want to punish the UK as they do not want other nations to think that they can leave the EU and do better. The Bible shows that Europe will have problems with unity (Daniel 2:41-43), but that Europe will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13; Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?) and be a major power for 42 months (Revelation 13:5; see also Who is the King of the North?).

That being said, the Europeans still want to export to the UK, so there will be some type of trade arrangement.

But the EU has also decided it needs to take care of its own military needs. US President Donald Trump, who they despise, is pressuring them to do so as well. And they will.

Here is something from the old Radio Church of God:

John also pictures this BEAST … as a powerful GOVERNMENT having a great ARMY. For they worshipped the Beast by saying: “WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE WAR WITH HIM?” (Rev. 13:4). (Armstrong HW. Who is the Beast of Revelation – Part 1. Plain Truth, August 1934)

The Europeans will take more steps to separate themselves from the UK and USA. This does not mean that NATO must be totally abandoned. I have felt for decades that the Europeans would likely attack the USA/UK deceptively under the guise of a NATO or similar exercise.

Once Europe spends more on its military and gets certain technologies, it will expect more control of military matters and will one day decide it no longer needs NOR WANTS the UK or USA to be around. And according to biblical prophecies, like Daniel 11:39, a power from Europe will takeover the USA militarily, despite the overall military advantage that the US seems to have (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

The Bible clearly shows that Europe will be a great military and economic power (Revelation 13, 17, & 18), have a “great army” (Daniel 11:25), will persecute God’s people (Daniel 7:25; 11:29-35; Revelation 13:7), takeover many countries (Daniel 8:24-25, 11:39-43), lead the world to the brink of destruction (cf. Matthew 24:21-22), and ultimately be destroyed (Daniel 11:44-45; Revelation 19).

The time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), also known as the Great Tribulation, is coming. The UK will be affected by it.

The Europeans will one day severely punish the UK for its Brexit. Until then, expect ups and downs in the relations between the UK and the EU.

Some items of related interest may include:

Forbes’ Brexit Monster is the Beast of Revelation Various ones have been properly convinced that there is a plan for a European superstate. Forbes’ writer Tom Worstall wrote that the Brexit vote was about the United Kingdom “not joining the monster of the European Union to come.” The Bible tells of a Beast monster that will arise in the end times in Europe. Dr. Thiel cites news reports, as well as the Old and New Testaments, to show that the monster many fear will arise in Europe, despite the vote by the British to exit the European Union. This is a video.
Collapse of the Euro and Dollar? War in 2020? Larry Edelson of Money and Markets described aspects of current economic difficulties and explained why he felt matters would get a lot worse. He said war, like World War III, could break out as early as 2020. What did he call the ‘granddaddy of all cycles”? Will matters go as he said? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel provides biblical insights that secular sources often miss. This is a video.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with these ‘sea gates’? A related video would be Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? A version in Spanish ¿Perderá el Reino Unido a Gibraltar y las Islas Falkland (Malvinas)? Here is a version in Mandarin Chinese 英国将失去直布罗陀和福克兰群岛.
Post Brexit Prophecy On June 23, 2016, the voters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) chose to leave the European Union. Now with this BRitish EXIT (Brexit) vote, what is prophesied to happen to the UK? Will the UK do well or be taken over and made slaves? Dr. Thiel explains from biblical prophecies what is ahead for the UK, Europe, and even the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a video.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Could a Donald Trump presidency be apocalyptic? A related video is titled: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic?
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
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