Time to get serious to avoid talks deadlock, UK told, as Barnier blasts preparations
The UK government has been told to“start negotiating seriously”to avoid deadlock at the start of the latest round of Brexit talks.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier criticised the government overits refusal to set out a position on aBr exit divorce bill, warning that trade talks cannot take place until a sum is agreed.
He rejected calls from Brex it Secretary David Davis to abandon the EU’S negotiation timetable, saying all 27 member governments were “united” on the need to reach a financial settlement first.
Mr Barnier criticised his UK counterpart’s previous insistence on “constructive ambiguity” over how much the UK would be willing to pay, saying Mr Davis had to “clarify the UK position” to make progress.
Mr Davis arrived in Brussels with a request for“flexibility and imagination” to allow talk son trade and a post-Brex it transition period to begin as soon as possible.
EU leaders have given until an October meeting of member governments for “sufficient progress” to be made for talks to move onto the next phase.
The UK government published a flurry of position papers on issues including the Irishborder and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice but has yet to set out its stance on a financial settlement that some EU sources have put as high as £ 80 billion.
“To be honest, I am concerned,” Mr Barnier said. “Time passes quickly. I welcome t he UK government’s papers and we have read them very carefully– very carefully.
“But we need UK po sition son all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We muststart ne go ti ating seriously. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations.
“The sooner we remove the ambiguity, the sooner we will be in a position to discuss the future relationship and the transition period.”
Respondingto reports that the French government maybe willing to begin discussing a future trade deal, Mr Barni er added :“The European Council guidelines are clear about what is expected on separation, on transition and on conditions for the future relationship.
“The EU 27 and the European Parliament stand united. They will not accept that separation issues are not addressed properly.”
Mr Davis insisted the British position papers were sufficiently detailed, stating: “They are the products of hard work and detailed thinking that has been going on behind the scenes not just the last few weeks but for the last 12 months, and should form the basis of what I hope will be a constructive week of talks.”
He travelled back to London last night and will return to Brussels for the conclusion of the latest round of talks on Thursday.
Ahead of those talks, Mr Barnier used a French newspaper articleto say how Brex it would have an impact on defence and security matters.
Writing in Le Mon de, he said :“It will have very practical consequences, including on defence and security.
“The British minister of defence will no longer be able to sit on the Council of Defence Ministers; London will leave the European Defence Agency and Euro pol; British defence research centres and the defence industry will not be eligible for the European Defence Fund; London will not be able to assume the command of European operations.
“Nevertheless, the union of 27 and the United Kingdom will have to join forces to deal with common threats: the safety of our fellow citizens is not being marketed.
“We will therefore examine in due course the conditions for convergence between the union of 27 and the United Kingdom onsecurity and defence matters.”
“We need UK positions on all separation issues. This is necessary to make sufficient progress. We must start negotiating seriously. We need UK papers that are clear in order to have constructive negotiations”