"Ireland's Europe minister, Thomas Byrne, said EU member states had decided the UK should make a financial contribution for closer ties: Ireland wants to see Britain getting the benefit of closer engagement with the European Union. Ultimately there is a cost to a lot of that and there are discussions to be had in terms of the cost to Britain, and certainly some other member states would see that as a priority issue. I think that is just being politically realistic."
"In an unexpected move, the EU decided last week that the UK should pay towards its budget in order to join the European electricity market. If eventually agreed, it would be the first time the UK has paid into the EU budget since Brexit, although Britain pays EU membership legacy costs. The two sides are also deadlocked over the EU's demand for an entry fee of up to 6bn (5.3bn) to allow British companies to maximise benefits from a 150bn (132.1bn) EU defence programme."
"In more welcome news for the government, Byrne said he hoped both sides could strike a deal to ease food and animal checks at the border in the second half of 2026, during Ireland's presidency of the EU Council. Last week, the EU agreed a mandate for the European Commission to negotiate this veterinary agreement. I think that could be a gamechanger, Byrne added."
The UK must make a financial contribution to the EU budget to participate in elements of the European single market, notably the internal electricity market. EU member states have indicated such payments would mark the first UK budget contributions since Brexit beyond existing legacy costs. Negotiations are stalled over an EU demand for an entry fee of up to 6bn for fuller access to a major EU defence programme. Separate talks seek a veterinary agreement to ease food and animal border checks, with hopes of a deal during Ireland's EU Council presidency in the second half of 2026.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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