EU Commission President Juncker to EF : I doN't know how Long will take BREXIT Talks !

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to an "Eurofora"s Question, at a meeting with Journalists just after the 1st Press Conference on what is expected to be the most Crucial EU Summit before the EU Elections of May 2019, the Experienced EU Commission's President, former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and €uroGroup's Head, Jean-Claude Juncker, surprised by his honesty :

- "I don't know, how long might take BREXIT's Talks, between the EU and the UK, Juncker simply acknowledged, speaking after MidNight, at the very End of a longer than expected working day, during which UK's BREXIT reportedly came Twice at the table : Once with a Briefing by UK Prime Minister Teresa May, and, Later-on, in a "27" Member States' Format.

He had Earlier shared the regrets of other EU Heads of State/Government, and EU Council's President Donald Tusk, for UK's recent incapacity to endorse the latest Agreement on London's Withdrawal from the EU, added to what he Criticised as "Foggy" stance, by most Groups of MPs, inside Westminster, about what might be UK's Future Relation with the EU (See Infra, + ..., etc).

+ EU Parliament's President, experienced former twice EU Commissioner and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, speaking Previously here, during the Afternoon, with EU Heads of State/Government, had Denounced the fact that "Europe suffers from UnCertainty", inter alia. And this meets a relevant Premonitory Warning, by the Secretary General of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party, and mainstream MEP, Antonio Lopez-Isturez, who, speaking to "Eurofora" in Brussels on BREXIT, already as early as from 2016, had denounced that "some seek to provoque UnCertainties"..., (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eppsummitoutcomeafterbrexit.html).

 

+ Earlier Today (13/12/2018), replying to "Eurofora"s Questions, an eminent representative of the current EU Presidency by Austria, Minister of Justice and Reforms, Josef Moser, (experienced Top Lawyer and former President of Austria's Court of Accounts, etc : See also Infra), evoked a possible Period of Time for eventually more forthcoming EU - UK Talks on BREXIT, (even Beyond the End of March 2019 Deadline for Withdrawal, according to Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty, in the Agreed or in a "Hard" way), which might extend as far as the European Elections of a New EU Parliament at the End of May 2019, (itself electing, as usual, a New President, new EU Commission, etc., between July and September 2019).

- Meanwhile, the key Austrian Minister (an experienced Jurist, recently elected 3rd in the ChristianDemocrat/EPP List of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, at the 2017 National Parliamentary Election, after serving as former FPÖ Parliamentary Group Head and Director of Rightist Leader Jörg Haider's Office, while being politically Independent), also estimated that "EU Parliament might, eventually, need about 3 Weeks, or so", in case of a New EU - UK Deal, if not on the Withdrawal as such (See Infra), possibly on the Future Relations between EU and the UK, naturally in addition to the laps of Time that would be necessary also for EU Commission and, mainly, EU Council's Heads of State/Government themselves, in order to broker a really working deal between Brussels and London.

A previously published Draft Paper evokes 2020 and, perhaps, a 2 Years extension of transition (up to 2022) for the finalisation of EU - UK relevant Deals.

But, could EU Summits continue to be kept so Busy on BREXIT, at the Same Time that EU Citizens expect to see some Interesting Advances in European Integration, particularly in €urozone, and an elementary Protection from Deadly Islamist Terrorism which has just targetted cowardly even more innocent Civilian People even at Europe's Heart : Strasbourg, during EU Parliament's plenary session (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentlockedinbyterrorattack.html, etc) ? It's obviously on such Big, Vital and "Hot" Issues that the Crucial forthcoming EU Elections of May 2019 will be decided, and Not on the mere matter of Northern Ireland's Border...

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=> In order to Shorten such extensive Periods, both Presidents of EU Commission and Council, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, speaking at their Joint Press Conference, at the End of this 1st Day of December 2018 EU Summit, (which, already took Longer than scheduled, arriving at around MidNight), stressed together that EU does Not Intend to Re-Negotiate anew the latest Draft WIthdrawal Agreement alrteady brokered with the UK Government, But accepted to "give Clarifications", at least on certain Points, which seem to be the Most Controversial inside the UK. As, f.ex., concerning the wish to Prevent a "Hard" Border between the Republic of Ireland and UK's Northern Irish area, (where a provisional Precaution has been foreseen Only as a Possibility, and until that matter will be settled in an adequate way at a forthcoming EU-UK Deal on their Future Relations).

+ In Addition, Juncker, speaking earlier to Journalists, including "Eurofora", during that same Press Conference on the 1st Day of December 2018 EU Council in Brussels, (Comp. Supra), also Announced that EU Commission intends to Publish "All useful Informations" concerning, precisely, the Future EU-UK Relations, already as early as since "December 19", 2018, while also Urging the UK Authorities to make officially known their own Expectations on this Key Issue, in a period of about "4 Weeks", (i.e. in the middle of January 2019).

- EU is prepared and Ready, both for the case of a "Hard" BREXIT (i.e. withOut Agreement between EU and the UK), and to "Immediately" Start "serious" Negotiations on the Future EU-UK Relations, as soon as London Authorities would Ratify the already brokered Withdrawal Agreement, Juncker went on to say, (while also feeling that, normaly, it's up to the UK to say "First" what it wants for its Future relations to the EU, since it has taken that BREXIT initiative).

+ Later-on (Partly UPDATED), Both Juncker and Tusk stressed their Support to British Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May, for the "serious efforts" that she reportedly does in order to finalise asap. a full EU - UK Agreement, while also Urging the EU to be well "Prepared" "for All possible Outcomes".