Barnier - We will put EU’s long-term economic interests ahead of short-term adaptation costs of #Brexit

Michel Barnier (pictured), head of the EU Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom, addressed the June plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Barnier provided an update on the state of play of Brexit negotiations regretting the "lack of willingness" on the British side to reach an agreement on the four topics that were on the table: fisheries, a level playing field, governance of the future relationship and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. 

Michel Barnier made it clear that the only valid framework for the negotiations was the Political Declaration signed between the EU and the UK in October 2019 and said that practical solutions and flexibility could be found within the current mandate for negotiations agreed by the EU. 

Barnier pointed to some of the benefits that the UK has had within the Single Market and asked if the EU really wanted to consolidate its position. He said that the EU would have to look beyond the short-term adaptation costs of the UK’s departure and look forward to the EU’s long-term economic interests. 

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