UK lorries and planes WILL be allowed into Europe after a no deal Brexit under Brussels’ contingency plans amid claims the EU could send FOOD AID to Britain if it crashes out
- EU Council has published plans for ‘basic’ air and road links in a no deal Brexit
- Plans mean there shouldn’t be a catastrophic break down after exit day in March
- They undermine the worst claims of Project Fear about the risks of no deal
- But the measures would only last for months and have not yet been finalised
British lorries and planes will be allowed into Europe even if there is a no deal Brexit, newly published contingency plans from Brussels have revealed.
The EU Council said ‘basic’ air and road links would be maintained for at least several months to avoid a catastrophic collapse in ties after exit day on March 29.
The announcements are a blow to Project Fear claims that Britain could be effectively cut off if there is no deal in time.
Despite only being short term contingency plans, the proposals do appear to rule out the worst-case scenarios where planes would have been banned from landing in in Europe and lorry drivers barred from the roads.
British lorries (file image of trucks loading at Dover) and planes will be allowed into Europe even if there is a no deal Brexit, newly published contingency plans from Brussels have revealed
The EU Council said ‘basic’ air and road links would be maintained for at least several months to avoid a catastrophic collapse in ties after exit day on March 29 (file image of Heathrow)
The Brexit deal is deadlocked after MPs overwhelmingly rejected it amid fury at the Irish border backstop.
But with just 40 days until Brexit it was even claimed today the EU could offer ‘food aid’ to Britain if transport issues do cause shortages at the border.
Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab insisted today the road and rail contingencies proved no deal would not be a disaster.
He told the Sun on Sunday: ‘It is welcome that the EU wants to agree reciprocal arrangements for a No Deal.
‘This pierces the Project Fear myths and shows that the UK and EU can work sensibly together.’
The proposals still need to be agreed by the European Parliament, with meetings due to take place tomorrow.
If confirmed, the temporary rules on lorries would last until the end of 2019 – if there is a matching provision for European lorries coming to Britain.
Flights would continue until at least October 26, 2019. After this date each country would make its own arrangement with the UK if there is still no deal in place.
Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab insisted today the road and rail contingencies proved no deal would not be a disaster
The Sunday Express revelation about food parcels from the EU emerged at an event in Brussels last week.
Officials working for the EU Commission’s international development department revealed that their plans for a no deal Brexit including ‘providing humanitarian aid to the UK.’
According to a source, officials said that in the event there are food shortages in Britain they would send supplies from the food surpluses caused by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) surpluses to supply British food banks.
North West Leicestershire MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘This really is the last throw of the Project Fear dice from the EU blackmailers.
‘The only way there will be a food shortage in Britain is if the EU puts up illegal non-tariff barriers to stop food coming in.
‘This of course would break World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules so would be contrary to international law.
‘It’s completely ludicrous and if they were to do that then what would be the point of signing an international agreement with the EU if they cannot even abide by the WTO one they have already signed.’