By Ben Kerrigan-
Michael Barnier has warned of potentially tough and complex negotiations as he made clear that he will not agree a deal with the Uk at any price. Speaking after a meeting in Brussels of the EU General Affairs Council , Barnier described the Political Declaration – agreed as part of the divorce deal between the UK and the EU – as “extremely important”.
Barnier told reporters that the bloc will seek to broker “a fair and balanced partnership with a robust framework of governance”. He added that the talks would be “complex, demanding and difficult”.
The trade deal will be associated with a fisheries agreement and a level playing field, otherwise there won’t be any agreement at all,” Barnier told reporters in Brussels on Tuesday. “If we want to achieve in the short period demanded by Mr. Johnson, we can’t have backtracking.”
Barnier was speaking a few days ahead of a meeting between the two sides are to open formal trade negotiations that will decide whether Britain will continue to enjoy tariff-free access to the bloc’s single market. If the two sides fail to reach agreement by Johnson’s year-end deadline, Britain will default to trading with the EU on terms set by the World Trade Organisation, meaning the return of tariffs and quotas.
The EU is demanding the UK maintain “common high standards, and corresponding high standards over time with union standards as a reference point”, while provisions on fisheries “should uphold existing reciprocal access conditions, quota shares and the traditional activity of the Union fleet.”
Barnier said: “We are ready to offer a highly ambitious trade deal to the UK.
“But the UK cannot expect high quality access to the single market if its not prepared to accept guarantees that competition remains open and fair, free and fair.”
He added: “There must be robust level playing field, safeguards to avoid unfair advantages social, environmental, tax, and aid state matters.” He said he quoted the exact sentences that was agreed in the political declaration that was agreed in October.
Barnier announced a joint committee will be established to monitor the implementation for the Irish protocol during the negotiations. Barnier said that a joint committee will be established to monitor the implementation of the Irish Protocol during negotiations.
(i.e. ensuring planning is taking place to implement checks down the Irish Sea border, after indications from London that it would seek to evade them)