European Leaders Unanimously Reject Changes to Brexit Agreement

On Wednesday, February 10, European leaders and officials unanimously rejected Britain's late request to renegotiate and amend the Brexit agreement. The British Parliament, on Tuesday, agreed to Prime Minister Theresa May's request to continue negotiations with Europe aimed at amending the existing agreement, despite warnings from the European Union that it would not accept any changes. The deadline for Britain's exit from the European Union is less than two months away, on March 29. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, firmly stated that 'there will be no negotiations or changes regarding the Brexit agreement.' Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, also said, 'This issue has been raised before, and I believe there is no other solution or alternative.' Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, added, 'No one on either side can precisely say what these alternative solutions are and whether they will be feasible or not.' A significant reason for the opposition of many British Parliament members to the agreement between Theresa May and the EU is the guarantees related to Britain's remaining in the customs union and avoiding the establishment of a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This border was a significant factor in the Northern Ireland crisis that lasted for several decades, during which at least 3,700 people lost their lives. The free movement of people and goods across this border, which no longer practically exists, plays a decisive role in the region's economy and the peace process in Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for the German government also stated on Wednesday, 'Renegotiation of the Brexit agreement is not on the agenda.' The British government and the EU reached an agreement in November 2018 after a year and a half of intensive negotiations regarding how the country would exit the union. However, the British Parliament rejected this agreement on January 15 with significant votes against it. On Wednesday, the British Prime Minister spoke with her Irish counterpart and Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and is scheduled to meet with Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, to create some alignment regarding Brexit.