Skip to main content

Barnier warns EU and Britain must 'rebuild' after Brexit

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks during a press conference at Government Buildings in Dublin on January 27, 2020, after his meeting with Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. – Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar believes the European Union has the upper hand in upcoming trade negotiations with Britain after Brexit, he said in an interview broadcast on Monday. Varadkar argued the size of the EU, which will comprise 27 countries once Britain has left on Friday, means it holds more sway in talks with London over their future relationship. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP)

Britain has to “rebuild everything” in its relationship with the European Union once it leaves the bloc later this week, the Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Monday.

Barnier, in Dublin for talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, said Britain had “no time to lose” as he warned of “the risk of a cliff-edge” change in relations at the end of the year.

“Round one is over and we have to rebuild everything,” he told a joint news conference, referring to the end of the first stage in Britain’s divorce from the European Union.

“If we have no agreement, it will not be business as usual and the status quo. We have to face a risk of a cliff edge, in particular for trade.

“We have no time to lose with any polemics, and to use this time to rebuild this friendship, this relationship.”

Britain will become the first country to leave the EU at 2300 GMT on Friday, ending nearly five decades of membership.

An 11-month transition phase will then start, during which existing arrangements remain unchanged.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to agree on the terms of the future relationship, modelled on the EU’s free trade agreement with Canada, by the end of that period.

Varadkar, who is fighting a general election on February 8, said Johnson’s timetable would be “very challenging” but insisted the EU would enter the talks “united and in a positive spirit”.

Barnier said he would present a draft negotiating mandate to the bloc’s member states next Monday.

EU ministers are then set to agree their joint mandate on February 25 ahead of a meeting of the European Council in March.

No piecemeal solution
Varadkar argued the bloc was in “a very strong position” in the talks given the remaining 27 members’ collective size compared to Britain.

“We have a population of 450 million people and the single market is the largest economy in the world,” he said.

“But I don’t think we have to see it as a contest.”

In a separate BBC television interview broadcast on Monday, the Irish leader also warned Brussels would not accept anything less than a comprehensive free trade agreement with Britain.

London indicated earlier this month it could seek a piecemeal post-Brexit deal with the EU that leaves some issues unresolved but still lets it break free from the bloc at the end of the year.

But Varadkar said: “When I hear people talk about piecemeal, it sounds a bit like cake and eat,” he said, referring to securing only a partial deal by the end of the year.

“That isn’t something that will fly in Europe.”

Source:

https://guardian.ng/news/world/barnier-warns-eu-and-britain-must-rebuild-after-brexit/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2020: See Full List Of Winners At The Soundcity MVP Awards

Tiwa Savage The 2020 Soundcity MVP Award Festival has just come to an end, and it saw many of our favourites picking up an award or two. The event which was held at the Eko Convention Center, Lagos Nigeria, was hosted by South Africa’s finest media personality  Bonang Matheba  was the host of the event. See the full list of 2020 Soundcity MVP Award Festival 2020 winners below. Best New MVP FireBoy DML ( NG ) JoeBoy ( NG ) Marioo ( TZ ) Rema (NG) – Winner Simmy ( SA ) Wendy Shay ( GH ) Best Collaboration Blow My Mind – Davido [ NG ] Daz How Star Do – Skibii [ NG ] Gugulethu – Prince Kaybee [SA] – Winner Jama – DJ Mic Smith [ GH ] Killin Dem – Burna Boy [ NG ] Inama – Diamond PlatNumz [ TZ ] Best Pop Innos B [ CG ] Nandy [ TZ ] JoeBoy [NG] – Winner Otile Brown [ KE ] Kizz Daniel [ NG ] Teni [ NG ] Mayorkun [ NG ] Rayvanny [ TZ ] Naira Marley [ NG ] Best Hip Hop BlaqBonez ( NG ) Falz ( NG ) KHALIGRAPH Jones (KE) – W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pogba steps up injury comeback for Man United

Paul Pogba has had his ankle cast removed as he steps up his attempt to return from injury for Manchester United. The France international has only started one Premier League match since August in a campaign heavily interrupted by his fitness woes. United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was unable to put a timescale on Pogba’s return to action ahead of Wednesday’s derby against Manchester City in the EFL Cup. But Solskjaer reported Pogba has made a key step in his recovery following surgery, as has fellow midfielder Scott McTominay, who is no longer wearing a knee brace. “It’s hard to put timescales on long-term injuries because they also need the training before [being] injury-free and need to be fitter,” Solskjaer told reporters. “Paul’s had his cast off and Scott took his brace off so at least they can now start doing some work on the grass.” Reports have suggested Pogba and McTominay are both targeting injury returns after the mid-season break, with United to play Chelsea on February 17 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Plane crash ‘killed a lot US service members’ – Taliban claims responsibility

Taliban has claimed responsibility for the Monday  plane crash , saying it was a US forces aircraft. The plane went down in an area controlled largely by the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan. Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid claimed the crash killed “lots” of US service members, according to Al Jazeera. “An aircraft of American occupiers has crashed in Ghazni province,” Mujahid said in a statement in the Pashto language, adding that all crew members onboard were killed. The Taliban statement on Monday came hours after reports suggested the plane was from state-owned Ariana Afghan Airlines. However, the Afghanistan airline said the rumours were “not true,” adding that “All the flights of Ariana Afghan Airlines have been completed normally,” read a statement on the carrier’s verified Facebook page. The Civil Aviation Authority of Afghanistan also denied reports that the plane was the country’s commercial flight. “According to our information … no commercial airline crash has been ...
Post a Comment
Read more