Report by President Charles Michel at the European Parliament on the European Council of 15 and 16 October 2020 - Main contents

Brexit means Brexit, like Theresa May said. But Brexit also means making choices about our future relationship. We want a deal, but not at any cost.

The European Council was extremely clear. We are 100% united. And we expressed our unwavering support to our chief negotiator, Michel Barnier. And we reconfirmed all the principles in his mandate.

In fact, we face three extremely difficult issues: the level playing field, governance, and fisheries. And we need to find solutions in line with our principles.

On the level playing field, it's about the integrity of the Single Market. A question of fair competition. Our UK friends say they want to maintain the highest standards. If that's the case, why don't they commit to them? We don't need words. We need guarantees.

The same goes for governance. The Internal Market Bill, which clearly violates the Withdrawal Agreement, reminds us just how important this is.

What's the point of negotiating, signing and ratifying an international agreement, if it's not implemented in full? In case of violation of the agreement, we need to be able to bring the dispute to binding independent arbitration. And get a swift resolution.

Lastly, on fisheries. Brexit was not our decision. And it was not our fishermen's decision. Stopping access to UK waters would cause extraordinary damage to our fishing fleets. Yes, we want to keep access to UK waters for our fishermen, exactly like the UK wants to keep access to our huge and diversified markets for its companies.

In June 2016, the United Kingdom took a democratic decision to leave the European Union. We respected this sovereign decision in 2016. And we respect UK sovereignty now.

Our UK friends say they want an ambitious and close relationship. We welcome this, because we want the same thing. But the UK wants access to our Single Market, while at the same time, being able to diverge from our standards and regulations, when it suits them. On ne peut pas avoir le beurre, l'argent du beurre, et le sourire de la crémière. You can't have your cake and eat it.

In fact, the United Kingdom now has an important choice to make about its own future. It's not about choosing a negotiating tactic. It's about choosing the models they want for their society and their economy in the future.

Do our British friends want to regulate state aid? And do they want to maintain high standards on health, food safety and the climate, in close relationship with Europe? If so, why not commit to them in our future agreement? We are determined to ensure that all businesses — British, Chinese, European, or from anywhere, follow the same principles when operating in our market. It’s only fair.

Time is very short. We stand ready to negotiate 24/7 on all subjects, based on legal texts. So the UK has a big decision to make. It’s their free and sovereign choice. And we will always respect them, whatever choice they make.

But their sovereign answer will determine their level of access to our internal market. This is just common sense. We want a deal which is fair and balanced. But we are also ready in case of "no deal".

Our strategy with Africa, and not for Africa, was another important topic at our meeting. We need more than a partnership with Africa. We need a new alliance with this continent. Africa is more than just a neighbour. Africa is a natural partner for the EU because of our geography, our history and our cultures.

Today our two continents are more interdependent than ever. And there is enormous potential for even greater cooperation. We need to harness the vast opportunities, to benefit the people of both continents, and the economic dimension of our partnership is key. Investment and financing will be crucial. In the digital and knowledge economy. In renewable energy. And in transport, health, and agri-food systems.

One word on debt relief. We fully support international efforts on debt relief, especially in the context of the G20. We are ready to intensify talks in order to deliver on that. But all global players need to play their part.

We also stand ready to further support efforts on rule of law, peace and security, good governance, and of course human rights. We want to work with our African partners on mobility and addressing all aspects of migration.

We want a mutually beneficial partnership that is balanced and comprehensive. Guided by the principles of solidarity and shared responsibility. And we stand ready to step up cooperation in multilateral organisations and fora. We will build this cooperation with our African partners at our next meeting with the African Union later this year.

We also had an orientation debate on the climate. We want climate neutrality by 2050, as we decided last year. And to get there, we need to update our 2030 target. We discussed the Commission's 2030 climate proposal, including the emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030. We will come back to this topic in December and our aim is to conclude an agreement in the European Council before the end of the year.

It will be a difficult debate, we're well aware of that. We will need to take into account different starting points and the circumstances in different countries, whilst focusing on our ambition to turn the Green Deal into a driver for development, prosperity and wellbeing in Europe and worldwide. That is also the purpose of the climate diplomacy that we are tirelessly trying to push forward.

Clearly, as you know, COVID-19 has not gone away, indeed we are facing a second wave, which is again causing brutal suffering to the victims, their families and those caring for them throughout Europe. It's hitting all those on the front line of the fight against this serious crisis affecting the world as a whole and Europe too. You will have seen that several European countries have again had to take tough restrictive measures to contain the spread of the virus.

We held an intense discussion on the matter. Our conclusion was that we should continue to redouble our efforts to increase cooperation and coordination between EU countries, and try to make progress on improving our ability to work together on sorting out travel arrangements within the European Union. We need cooperation, on efforts to improve harmonisation and consistency of the quarantine rules in European countries, which is no easy matter, and above all on what I see as the key issue for the weeks and months ahead - as we await a vaccine that can make a real difference over time - the vital matters of testing and tracing.

We held a discussion, focusing on the latest work on the matter by the Commission and the German Presidency, and agreed that we should return to this subject on a very regular basis, including through video conferences of the Heads of State or Government, so as to try to provide the momentum needed to secure meaningful progress.

When talking about COVID-19, I am bound to mention its consequences for our citizens: the psychological impact is tough, but so too is the social impact, which is linked in turn to the economic impact from the current and future damage wrought on business activity, particularly in the more vulnerable sectors. That brings me naturally to the question of the EU budget and the European Recovery Fund.

We have already had a chance to discuss this with you, President Sassoli. And I would reiterate my hope that we will all manage, in the next few days, to make a real commitment so that we can deliver on this. Delivery will guarantee Europe's credibility, by ensuring that these major, historical proposals adopted by the European Council in July, thanks also, it must be said, to the earlier push from the European Parliament, can be converted into a decision that is implemented. So that Europe's citizens and businesses can enjoy, as soon as possible, the benefits of this ambitious programme in supporting recovery, the economy, prosperity and wellbeing throughout Europe. Thank you very much for listening.