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The last thing Europe needs is another hit to its economy caused by a no-deal Brexit, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has warned.<\/p>\nThe last thing Europe needs is another hit to its economy caused by a no-deal Brexit, Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has warned.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin said the European Union was already dealing with the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
He made the comments at the end of a two-day meeting of the European Council in Brussels today.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach said the continued negative impact of Covid-19 on the economic performance across Europe formed a dominant part of the meeting of EU heads of state.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last thing we all collectively need now is another hit to the economy occasioned by a no-deal Brexit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t make sense and that is the spirit within which people want to approach these negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking in Brussels, Mr. Martin also said it was highly unlikely that a deal would be struck between the EU and the UK in the next fortnight but that there was a \u201cmood to engage\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a sense whilst there is a mood to engage, no-one is underestimating the task that lies ahead,\u201d the Taoiseach said.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI think it\u2019s highly unlikely that there will be any deal by October 15th, by the middle of the month.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is fair to say that\u2019s not the timeframe within which now people are looking at the possibility of a deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat said, certainly by the end of the month, the beginning of next month, there would have to be some clear pathway to an agreement in order to facilitate all the work that will then be necessary to get a deal over the line.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach\u2019s remarks come as European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called for trade talks with the UK to \u201cintensify\u201d as she prepared to discuss the matter with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.<\/p>\n
The two leaders are to speak on Saturday to discuss the \u201cnext steps\u201d following the conclusion of the final scheduled round of formal negotiations on a post-Brexit trade deal in Brussels.<\/p>\n