Theresa May’s Brexit Trade Plan Won’t Work: Donald Tusk

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed new economic partnership with the EU “will not work”, the head of the European Council has said. Donald Tusk said the plans risked undermining the EU’s single market, BBC reported on Thursday. He was speaking at the end of an EU summit in Salzburg where leaders of the 27 remaining member states discussed Brexit. May said her proposals were the “only serious credible” way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland. She said she had held “frank” talks with Tusk, adding: “Yes, concerns have been raised and I want to know what those concerns are.”

May reiterated that she would not accept the EU’s “backstop” plan to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland, and said the UK would shortly be bringing forward its own proposals. The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, and both sides are trying to reach a deal in time. There is still no agreement on some issues, including how to avoid new checks on the Northern Ireland-Republic of Ireland border. At a press conference, Tusk said there were some “positive elements” in the UK’s blueprint for future relations with the EU, which was agreed by ministers at Chequers in July. But, he added: “The suggested framework for economic cooperation will not work.” (IANS)