Irish leader fears UK wants to ‘undercut’ European rivals in areas such as food after exit

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

Boris Johnson appeared to sidestep accusations from European leaders that he is on course to deliver a “harder Brexit”.

The prime minister is expected to have combative trade talks in the new year after ruling out adhering to Brussels’ rules after 2020 when the transition period ends.

The talks can only begin after Brexit on 31 January in a period which in effect freezes the UK’s EU membership until the end of 2020.

He altered his Brexit bill this week to make it unlawful for the government to extend the trade talks into 2021, giving negotiators an unprecedented 11 months to reach a free-trade agreement.

The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, warned that Johnson was embarking on a “harder Brexit than we anticipated” and said he feared the UK wanted to “undercut” its European rivals on food, health and product safety after leaving the bloc.

Johnson was asked about the taoiseach’s comments while visiting British troops in Estonia on Saturday, but would only say: “What everybody wants to do is put Brexit behind us on 31 January and move on, and there’s a lot of goodwill and a lot of energy now about building the new deep and special partnership, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

It comes as Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, said Britain must adhere to EU rules after Brexit in order to secure a trade deal and prevent a “race to the bottom”.

He said its main objectives are to agree common social and environmental standards.

Johnson has insisted there would be “no alignment” with EU rules under the terms of a trade deal he wants to strike with the bloc after his withdrawal agreement bill was passed through the House of Commons on Friday.

Barnier also said it would be “immensely challenging” to conclude a trade agreement by the deadline of the end of next year.

In an article for the Project Syndicate website, Barnier said the EU would seek to make the most of the short time available “but like the UK, we will keep our strategic interests in mind”.

“We know that competing on social and environmental standards – rather than on skills, innovation, and quality – leads only to a race to the bottom that puts workers, consumers, and the planet on the losing side.

“Thus, any free-trade agreement must provide for a level playing field on standards, state aid, and tax matters.”

Barnier also wrote that any new economic agreement forged by the end of 2020 would most likely have to be expanded in the years to come.

“In the absence of a decision by the UK before July 2020 to extend the transition period – which Johnson has ruled out – a deal on the future relationship will have to be concluded in less than 11 months.

“That will be immensely challenging, but we will give it our all, even if we won’t be able to achieve everything. Never will it be the EU that fails on common ambition.”