Barnier criticizes London for “slowing down” post-Brexit trading
He also insisted on finding solutions to the thorniest questions in time so that the transition to the next phase is not traumatic
The European negotiator for the new agreement with the United Kingdom, Michel Barnier, criticized London on Friday for “slowing down” the negotiation while rejecting outright the extension of the transition period, which maintains the “status quo” until December but which could delay the final rupture by one or two years if the parties so agree before July.
“We cannot accept a selective progress and only on a limited number of issues,” Barnier launched at a press conference in Brussels to take stock of the resumption of negotiations this week after the “impasse” imposed by the coronavirus.
“The United Kingdom cannot refuse to broaden the transition and, at the same time, slow down progress in important areas,” insisted the former French commissioner and ex-minister, after complaining that the British delegation has presented proposals for some issues but not for all the dossiers. open.
Barnier has insisted that progress on “all issues in parallel” and finding solutions to the thorny issues are necessary in time for the move to the next phase not to be traumatic. He has also defended the European proposal, presented more than a month ago and which has some 350 pages against the lack of British concreteness, while ensuring that it is not a document “to accept or reject” but the basis of a negotiation.
The two negotiating teams, each made up of a hundred experts, have held some 40 technical meetings throughout this week, entering the second formal round of contacts to try to agree on the new framework of relationship after the divorce.
Source: dpa
