The British government took more than 550 days to say goodbye to illusions it had created. Nothing else is breakthrough in Brexit negotiations.

The 15-page document presented jointly by European Commission and British government is a point-by-point reading. The British pay divorce bill in EU's expected magnitude, y recognise jurisdiction of European Court of Justice for EU foreigners in ir country, y accept that Norrn Ireland remains "aligned" with rules of EU internal market, "until Specific solutions ". Of course, this is all written in fine intricately, diplomatic language. But re is not much left of red lines that British government has drawn over last year and a half.

Hybris of Brexiteers

Illusions, however, do not die in one day. You have a tough life. The specific illusion of Brexiteers is to believe that one can leave European single market and customs union while enjoying its benefits.

Boris Johnson, British foreign minister and one of leading Brexiteers, once summed this up in a change of an English proverb: "You can definitely keep cake and eat it at same time!" A tidy remnant of imperial consciousness resonates with: Britain can have everything because it is Great Britain! Our country is much smaller than it once was, but we are still unique and indispensable! The tendency to overestimate oneself has certainly not lost Brexiteers – even though y have repeatedly walked against a wall over past year and a half. And like a tough, tiring fog, this is exactly what all forthcoming negotiations will comb.

BRUSSELS-Breakthrough in Brexit negotiations Great Britain and European Union have made a first breakthrough in ir Brexit talks. The President of European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, was with him. © Photo: Yves Herman/Reuters

As it stands, 27 Member States of EU will follow Commission's recommendation at ir summit on 14 and 15 December and give starting signal for second part of negotiations. Then real work begins. Fisheries, aviation rights, research, security – sector by sector, negotiators will now have to go through.

Ideal typical conditions for cherry

It's easy to imagine how it's going to be. The officials of EU will say, "So we can separate this cleanly!" Your British face will ask, "Are you sure? Is it really useful to make a clear cut? Don't you want to think about it again? It was really good in area! " Sector by sector, y will test wher y cannot tempt EU to make concessions re and re. Sector by sector, British negotiators will try to put unity of 27 to test. It's going to be a tough fight.

To this day, EU has been surprisingly closed. An undeniable achievement, which has above all a reason: The Brexit was negotiated above all on large, open stage. Each surrender of EU would have interpreted audience as a defeat, as a sign of weakness towards a union already threatened by death. The 27 wanted to avoid this impression – out of pure desire for ir own will.

But now Brexit leaves big stage and becomes a me for smaller rounds. From now on many smaller conference tables, somewhere in depths of Berlaymonts, seat of EU Commission, will be wrestled far away from headlights, far from an audience that will have or, greater worries. These are perfectly typical conditions for cherry. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said when breakthrough in Brexit negotiations was made: "I warn against underestimating difficulties that lie ahead of us!" Quite rightly so.

Date Of Update: 09 December 2017, 12:02