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Michel Barnier said London has so far not shown enough flexibility and creativity on these. But he believed a deal on new relationship to replace decades of close-knit cooperation after Brexit from 2021 was still possible, if difficult.
“On all these issues the UK side continues to disappoint,” Barnier told a seminar. “These are no technocratic issues. At stake are tens of thousands of European jobs and livelihoods.... our safety and wellbeing, our environment and climate, our fundamental rights.”
Britain became the first country to leave the EU last January and is now in a standstill transition period to allow both sides to agree a new deal on everything from trade to security to nuclear cooperation.
Barnier said Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government was shunning the EU’s demands for clarity on Britain’s future state aid system and that there would not be a deal without a “long-term, balanced and sustainable” deal on fish.
“How can we conclude our long-term economic partnership agreement ... without knowing which system of state aid or subsidies the UK will put in place, without any assurance that the UK will not use its new regulatory autonomy to distort competition with us in the future?” Barnier said in a speech organised by an Irish think tank.
“We are ready and we want a deal - but not at any price. We will never seal a deal to the detriment of our single market.” ... more at Reuters