Germany accuses UK of making inconceivable demands in row over Brexit trade deal

A leaked German government report states Britain’s request to keep access to the Europol databases in the trade negotiations are impossible. The dossier states the Prime Minister is seeking to “approximate the positive of a member state as closely as possible” in the future relationship with the European Union’s crimefighting agency. Britain pretends to maintain access to the Europol Information System database, the German report added.

Questions over UK access to EU data systems in 2021

As communications between the two parts started again last week, Britain’s negotiators refused to lengthen the transition period because of the Coronavirus pandemic as well as stated the UK side’s eagerness to ckeep taking part in EU-wide data-sharing arrangements and even expanding their scope, despite the EU exit.

However, the memo drawn up by Berlin declares that the Government’s negotiating petition is “not possible” given the EU’s current position.

It affirms that Britain has also expressed interest in joining the EU border force’s Schengen Information System and bloc’s Passenger Name Record databases. UK negotiators have said the later could be extended to cover travellers on boats and rail in the future.

David Frost, the Prime Minister’s lead negotiator, has said to Brussels he is looking for access to many of its security arrangements on the same basis of other “third countries”, but EU sources ensured that the UK was trying to secure the benefits of full membership to the bloc.

One official said a British justice and home affairs proposal submitted by Mr Frost “lacks recognition” that Brexit means the country will no longer have access to a number of security arrangements.

The requests have also provoked irritated Berlin, with senior politicians urging Brussels to reject the demands.

The spokesperson for European Affairs for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Christian Petry, censured Britain for attempting to keep membership rights while leaving Europe.

“The Brexiteers have always disparaged the EU as undemocratic. To now dictate to the EU as a third country how we should organise our inner security, that would indeed be undemocratic. It would not only be ‘cherry-picking on speed’, but set a fatal precedent. With what arguments could we respond to wishes from other states with similar ideas?”

Let us remember that last January both France and the Netherlands shared their concerns about the possibility that the UK may further abuse the EU’s Brexit databases.