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Speaking to the Financial Times, Michel Barnier said: “On Brexit, we have made progress but there are huge, serious divergences.”
He said the EU wanted an “ambitious partnership” with the UK on key areas including trade and security after Brexit, but that “we have to base this partnership on our values and principles”.
Mr Barnier pointed to the importance of maintaining the integrity of the single market, the indivisibility of the four freedoms— the free movement of goods, services, capital and people — the autonomy of EU decision-making and the protection of the fundamental rights of EU citizens. “These points are key for our co-operation on security,” he said.
Mr Barnier said he was waiting for the UK government to publish its White Paper, which will outline the future ties it wants to have with the EU after Brexit but which has been delayed several times, and said he hoped “it will contain workable and realistic proposals.”
“Time is very short,” he stressed.
Full article on Financial Times (subscription required)