La Jornada – UK refuses to grant EU ambassador diplomatic status

London. Tension returned between the UK and the European Union yesterday, three weeks after the agreement was concluded BrixiBecause London refused the full diplomatic status of the European Union ambassador, which granted him the status of an international organization and not a state.

According to the BBC, the British Foreign Office is refusing to grant Ambassador João Vale de Almeida and his team their own immunity for diplomats under the Vienna Convention, arguing that the European Union is not a country, but an organization.

In contact with Afp, the Foreign Ministry said only that “the European Union, its delegation and its teams will enjoy the necessary privileges and immunities to be able to carry out their work in the United Kingdom effectively”.

The country left the bloc on January 31, 2020, and after a transition period, on December 31 it completely stopped applying European standards.

According to Brussels, the British position contradicts that of other countries, which “without exception” granted full diplomatic status to the 143 European delegations located around the world.

“The European Union is not a traditional international organization,” said Peter Stano, spokesman for the head of diplomacy, Josep Borrell, noting that “the European Union has the power to adopt legislation that is binding on member states, has its own judicial system and a common currency.”

He added, “The position of the European Union in international relations and the diplomatic status that results from it is widely recognized by states and international organizations around the world, and we hope that the United Kingdom will treat the delegation on this basis and without delay.”

For his part, European negotiator Michel Barnier, who was in Ireland to receive the “Best European of the Year” award, warned that the United Kingdom should be “very careful” in its dealings with the ambassador, and wished to be able to “reach a meeting together.” “.