No-deal Brexit risk remains, trade talks difficult: Barnier

BRUSSELS • The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said the risk of Britain's chaotic departure from the bloc without a divorce deal still existed, and that future trade talks would be "difficult and demanding".

Mr Barnier's comments come as Britain heads for a Dec 12 national election that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hopes will unlock the Brexit stalemate after Parliament refused to swiftly ratify his divorce deal with the EU.

"The risk of Brexit happening without a ratified deal still exists," Mr Barnier said on Wednesday. "We still need to prepare."

He said a no-deal split could happen at the end of January if the British Parliament failed to ratify the deal and London did not get another delay on the divorce. It could also happen at the end of the status quo transition period envisaged after Brexit until the end of next year if no new trade deal is agreed between the two sides by then and no extra time is given to achieve that.

"It will be a difficult and demanding set of negotiations," he said. "The time we have at hand to conclude this negotiation will be extremely short, 11 months."

Mr Barnier warned the bloc will only give Britain as much access to its single market after Brexit as is justified by London ensuring that EU rules and standards are preserved. He said Mr Johnson's aim of getting a trade deal with no tariffs or quotas was "insufficient" and that the first "moment of truth" to assess whether more time was needed for trade talks would come next summer.

"Once the UK has left the EU... They will... (have) a special relationship, very close," Mr Barnier said. He also stressed that the remaining 27 EU states must draw lessons from Brexit.

In a thinly veiled reference to inaccuracies spread by campaigners during Britain's 2016 referendum, Mr Barnier added: "One of the lessons of Brexit is - tell the truth, quite simply."

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 01, 2019, with the headline No-deal Brexit risk remains, trade talks difficult: Barnier. Subscribe