'No other deal, but we can review future relationship'
Brexit is well covered in news everywhere. In France there’s interest in an interview with the EU’s chief negotiator in which he said the Brexit deal voted down by MPs last week is the “only one possible” – but that there may be room for changes on plans for the ‘future UK/EU relationship’.
Michel Barnier makes the point today in an interview with Le Monde and it comes amid a lot of French coverage of a potential no-deal, including complications for travellers and businesses.
On Monday MPs voted down both the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the UK and EU and an accompanying ‘political declaration’ setting out objectives for future trade links and other cooperation between the two parties.
If there is a deal, the latter would be firmed up during a transition period until the end of next year.
However Mr Barnier told Le Monde: “The treaty [withdrawal agreement] can still be supported if we put it into perspective… We are ready to rework the political declaration to make it more ambitious. From listening to the debates held so far across the Channel, there seems to be a will to find a way.”
However he warned that if the UK government and MPs remain inflexible a no-deal Brexit will happen “mechanically”.
On Monday UK Prime Minister Theresa may put forward a ‘Plan B’ after the rejection of the deal, that consisted of asking the EU for some ‘tweaks’ to the so-called Northern Ireland backstop (which forms part of the withdrawal agreement). MPs now have a few more days to put forward proposed amendments to this plan before a vote on it on Tuesday next week.
