Foreign Minister Stef Blok hopes that both the British and European Parliament will agree to the Brexit deal between London and Brussels. That provides clarity for the Dutch there, for the British here, and all companies.
The negotiators of the EU and Great Britain agreed this morning on a text, but now the principle deal still has to pass through the British and European parliament. “The real challenge now is for this agreement to reach the finish line,” said Blok, who believes that an agreement would be good for the Netherlands.
The British parliament voted three times for the earlier Brexit agreement between London and Brussels. A new no would be “one of the only possible outcomes,” says Blok. “Then you immediately run the risk of a no-deal Brexit.”
Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the news about the agreement in principle “very encouraging.” “We’re going to look at the text now,” he said before the EU summit, with the agreed text underarm. The European Commission hopes that the government leaders will give the green light for this later in the day.
“The British parliament has every reason to say yes,” says Rutte. “If I look at the British red lines, I would say to the House of Commons: what more do you want.”
The prime minister does not want to hint about a new postponement, should the parliament vote the deal away. “Let’s celebrate there now seems to be a deal that seems to be able to fly, also in the lower house.”