Monday 26 November 2018
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, Robin Walker MP, spoke this morning to the Deputy Gavin St Pier to discuss the successful conclusion of the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration by the Prime Minister in Brussels on Sunday.
Robin Walker reiterated that the UK Government has negotiated the Withdrawal Agreement on behalf of the UK and the Crown Dependencies. This means that the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the other Crown Dependencies are included in the Withdrawal Agreement and the Implementation Period, providing Crown Dependency businesses and citizens with certainty.
On the future relationship with the EU outlined in the Political Declaration, the Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will negotiate on behalf of all territories for whose external relations the UK is responsible. Minister Walker underlined that the UK Government will be seeking specific arrangements for the Crown Dependencies that take account of their existing relationships with the EU and strike a proportionate balance of rights and responsibilities. This future relationship will respect our shared constitutional relationship and the Crown Dependencies' fiscal autonomy.
Deputy St Pier said:
"I was pleased to note that another milestone has been achieved with the European Council having agreed the Withdrawal Agreement as well as setting out a framework for the future relationship. If agreed by the UK and EU Parliaments, these will apply to Guernsey and create a transition period which will maintain the trading relationships that we currently have under Protocol 3 during that time. This will give a period of stability for business and the community alike, whilst the new relationship with Europe is negotiated. As I said in my recent correspondence to the Prime Minister, it is clear that an orderly exit from the EU for the UK is in Guernsey's best interests.
"I was reassured to hear from Robin Walker that it is the UK's clear intention for these future relationship negotiations to seek a deal for whole of the British Family, including one for the Crown Dependencies that is proportionate to our economic relationship with the EU and respects our autonomy and constitutional relationship with the UK. As the exit process enters the next phase we agreed to continue to work closely over the coming weeks and months to secure these objectives."
