Good afternoon,
Like some undead creature from beyond the grave, the zombie that is Brexit continues to stalk the corridors of the Berlaymont, nearly ten years on.
Many on both sides of the Channel began the year with cause for optimism that the EU and the UK were moving towards closer cooperation on several fronts. It's not like the world has got any less chaotic since the Brexit vote and, since that seismic event, both the EU and the UK have been diminished – many would argue, as a direct result.
But the damage to trust is still raw. It's completely understandable, therefore, that the EU might want a "Farage clause" in any agreements it might strike with the UK now or in the future. It's normal that the EU would want to ensure that its investment is not for nothing, and it doesn't end up out of pocket – again.
The thing is, though, the EU and the UK need to work together on some really serious issues, to protect their and others' interests. And this requires trust. I'm not entirely convinced that building in financial compensation aspects to any working agreement will necessarily encourage that trust. Indeed, it could have the opposite effect.
It's also an interesting potential precedent to set. To say 'we will only work with anyone now, if you agree to these conditions'. Could it be perceived as a threat?
The challenges when it comes to defence, trade and sovereignty are so great and the cooperation so urgent, that anything that could be seen as a barrier to that could have the potential to massively backfire.
The EU, for its part, should not underestimate the huge hurdle the UK is attempting to straddle by even daring to suggest integrating some of its activities back into the EU fold. The political backlash could be harsh – and of course, that's the point of the so-called "Farage clause."
But it's a fine line that needs to be walked here, and there is no time to waste. I would argue that although the temptation is, of course, that the EU should protect itself against any future UK political chaos, there is enough current global chaos that requires immediate joint effort. That should be the overriding thought for the politicians on both sides of the Channel now.
After all, who knows what the future will bring? The past few years should have taught us that if nothing else.
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