The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, was present for the start of the conference at the Chamber of Commerce. He remains hopeful for a potential deal, partly due to the proposal by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn’s proposal to Theresa May would entail a continued application of several EU standards and a partial involvement in the European single market.
The Chamber of Commerce organised the event in which more than 200 representatives of Luxembourg's economy took part. Leaving the EU without a deal would be an "extremely brutal" scenario, according to the European Commission member Céline Gauer.
All signs point towards "uncertainty" with the ball entirely in the court of the British parliament. It is up to them whether to accept the deal – which the EU will not renegotiate – or whether to go down the path of a hard Brexit. Céline Gauer, general assistant secretary of the European Commission in charge of Brexit, says that the lack of a transition period and agreements on future trade would be brutal.
From a political standpoint, the EU is keen to make it clear that there will be major changes in the relationship with London after Brexit. To discourage other countries from leaving the union, the UK could not be allowed to retain all the benefits that come from being a member of the EU. Brexit with a deal would undoubtedly have to be better than a no-deal Brexit.
Preparations from the EU are minimal: the plan is for air traffic to remain more or less the same, and for British and EU citizens to be able to continue living in their chosen countries. Individual EU member states have made plans in preparation for Brexit but Céline Gauer urges them not to be too generous.
She says that they would be happy to offer advice to companies, but businesses also have to prepare themselves. Consequences for the different sectors and businesses are very specific. Questions about data protection, certificates and their validity, as well as students at British universities are arising. Several universities have suggested keeping the same admissions conditions for another two years. Those will have to negotiated after that point, however.
