'It is time for everyone to assume their responsibilities' Barnier

This morning (18 December) Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Negotiator, addressed the European Parliament to update it on negotiations with the UK. 

Barnier didn’t hide the gravity of the situation, describing this moment as “very serious and somber”. It was simply put, “in ten days or so the EU will leave with or without a deal”. He echoed President von der Leyen’s assessment that a deal was possible, but that the path to it is very narrow.

Barnier said it was a time for everyone to assume their responsibilities. He outlined the three fundamental aspects of the negotiation. Firstly, he said that the British set the deadline, they rejected the possibility of an extension in June. Secondly, the British set this deadline knowing of the extraordinary challenge in completing a comprehensive agreement in such a short time. Finally, he said in accordance with his mandate, everything needed to come together as a whole, that nothing is agreed until everything’s agreed. 

The British red line on sovereignty has been in conflict with the EU’s own shared sovereignty that the UK needs to respect. That solidarity is based on shared common values that underpin the single market, base on fair competition, with ambitious standards. If the UK wants to depart from those standards it is free to do so, but it would have consequences in terms of tariffs and quotas.  Similarly, Barniers adds that if the UK would like to regain its sovereignty over fisheries it can, but the European Union will exercise its sovereign right to react, or to compensate by adjusting the conditions for products, and especially fisheries products coming into the single market from the UK. 

Barnier said that in the interests of the security of citizens, cooperation in eight specific areas has been agreed: Europol, Eurojust, Prüm arrangements, extradition, the exchange of information, the freezing and confiscation of assets. The UK is willing to respect the EU’s  two prerequisites: respecting fundamental rights, most notably, as they are enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the protection of private data.

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