David Davis’s decision to describe a leaked EU paper suggesting Brussels could impose sanctions on Britain in a transition period as ‘discourteous’ had repercussions in Brussels today. In a solo press conference on Britain’s transition period, Michel Barnier cut a prickly figure as he warned that a transition period immediately after Brexit in 2019 is ‘not a given’.
Issuing Britain with a gentle ticking off, Barnier insisted that he was not being ‘vindictive’ as he raised concerns over May’s position. He said he has planned an update on the future relationship but this could not take place due to timetable constraints ‘on the UK side’. The EU’s chief negotiator did at least take the opportunity to outline the outstanding disagreements between the UK and EU over the terms of transition period. These included the UK’s refusal to guarantee permanent rights to EU nationals who come in this period and the right of the UK to object to new EU rules and laws.
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