UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has 12 days to set out his Brexit plans in writing to EU, according to Finland’s Prime Minister Antti Rinne.
Mr Rinne met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in France on Wednesday. Following the talks with Macrow, the Finnish Prime Minister told reporters;
“We both agreed that it is now time for Boris Johnson to produce his own proposals in writing – if they exist.
“If no proposals are received by the end of September, then it’s over.”
The position has not been agreed with other EU nations, but it is thought the Finnish PM intends to discuss the new deadline with Donald Tusk in the coming days.
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union has been held by Finland since July 1 this year.
The Finnish PM said he and Mr Macron agreed on 30 September as the EU needs to review the plans ahead of the European Council meeting on 17-18 October.
The meeting between the Finnish PM and French President on Wednesday also saw Emmanuel Macron gifted a jersey by Mr Rinne bearing the name of Finnish and Norwich City star striker Teemu Pukki. The surprise gift bore the name of Teemu Pukki, who became the Premier League’s player of the month for August.
A Downing Street source said: “We will continue negotiating and put forward proposals at the appropriate time.”
On Thursday, Britain submitted some written documents to the EU, it is understood. A spokesperson for the UK government said “confidential technical non-papers which reflect the ideas the UK has been putting forward” were shared with Brussels.
Non-papers means informal proposals – it is understood the documents focus on customs and manufacturing.
Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier are due to meet for discussions on Friday. On Monday, the EU said no workable solution had yet been offered on the backstop, following a meeting between Boris Johnson and European Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker.
Photo: Finnish Prime Minister, Antti Rinne | Photo Credit: European Parliament from EU [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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