09 January 2020

Financial Times: Barnier sticks to firm line on Brexit talks

Michel Barnier warned that Brussels will not budge in its demand that Britain stay in line with the EU’s restrictions on state aid and its regulatory standards in exchange for a far-reaching trade deal.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said commission president Ursula von der Leyen insisted on this “level playing field” during a meeting with UK prime minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday in London, and that it was vital to protect the EU market from unfair competition.

“Nobody, nobody should doubt the determination of the commission, and my determination, to continue to defend the interests of EU27 citizens and businesses, and to defend the integrity of the single market,” the Frenchman said in a speech in Sweden.

Mr Barnier said that state-aid policy was “key” to the level playing field, and that Britain would need to abide by “certain conditions”.

“I hope that this point is, and will be, clearly well understood by everybody,” he said.

Following the meeting between Mr Johnson and Ms von der Leyen, a Downing Street spokesperson insisted Britain wanted “a broad free trade agreement” with the EU “covering goods and services, and co-operation in other areas”, but that it will not accept having to stay in line with EU regulations.

But Mr Barnier said that “the level of access for the British products to our market will be proportionate to the level of ambition of common agreement on these rules and standards”.

The UK insists it is unfair for Brussels to make policy demands that go substantially beyond those placed on other trading partners such as Canada, because Britain accepts that it will not have the kind of frictionless trade with the continent it has enjoyed up to now.

UK officials also underline that the country has no plans to slash workers rights, slacken food safety standards or weaken environmental protection.

One person briefed on the talks said Mr Johnson told Ms von der Leyen that UK standards could be tougher than the EU’s in some areas. [...]

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