The Brexit fund of 5 billion euros is not enough

“In the interest of Flanders, we must avoid Brexit ending in a nasty divorce: that is why a deal has to be made. And a Brexit fund made available of more than the 5 billion euros currently earmarked.” That was the message the N-VA gave to European Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday during his visit to the Flemish Parliament.

Michel Barnier came to the Parliament to explain the state of affairs in the Brexit negotiations. His arrival was a unique opportunity to put the precarious position of Flanders in the whole Brexit discussion on the table. The N-VA seized that opportunity with both hands. “There is a great deal at stake for Flanders. As an export region, we have every interest in enjoying good relations with our British neighbours. The exit of the British must not result in a nasty divorce.”

Avoiding barriers to trade

The N-VA therefore called for a comprehensive agreement. “Unequal rules on state aid must absolutely be avoided. Access to British waters is vital for our fishing industry. And we must strive for as few tariffs and other trade barriers as possible for the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge as an export hub to the United Kingdom.”

Aid for the regions worst affected

The N-VA also urged Michel Barnier to provide targeted support for Flanders. “The European Brexit Fund of 5 billion euros is absolutely not enough. The scarce resources must be channelled to the regions and industries hardest hit by Brexit, and Flanders is undoubtedly one of them. Smaller Member States or federal states, which have the most to lose, must not be left out in the cold in the distribution of that fund.”

Concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol

Finally, the N-VA expressed its concern about the so-called Northern Ireland Protocol that is now under pressure. “For just as Brexit must not result in a nasty divorce between the EU and the United Kingdom, neither must Brexit cause new tensions in the difficult separation between Ireland and Northern Ireland,” the N-VA concluded.