Sunday, November 12, 2017 11.56AM / The
Guardian / News
European Commission: Speech By Michel Barnier Following The
Sixth Round Of Article 50 Negotiations With The United Kingdom, Brussels, 10
November 2017
Ladies
and gentlemen,
Thank
you for the interest you show in this negotiation.
Do
not expect from us today, at this stage, announcements or decisions.
The
discussions over the past days – in between the two European Councils – are a
moment of deepening, clarification and technical work.
We
are determined to reach a deal on the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom
from the European Union, in view of the UK's decision to leave.
This
is our absolute priority - as well as mine and my team's - in view of the
European Council on 14 and 15 December.
The
decisions and guidelines of the European Council, particularly last month, and
the resolutions of the European Parliament guide me every day in this work.
When
you read these resolutions and conclusions, you see again that only sufficient
progress, i.e. sincere and real progress, on the three key areas of this
negotiation will allow us to open the second phase of the negotiations. These
three subjects are – I repeat – inseparable.
I
would like to repeat that in this extraordinary negotiation, which is
extraordinarily complex, that we are not demanding concessions from the United
Kingdom, and we do not intend on issuing concessions either.
We
work on the basis of fact, and law, and on precise, reciprocal commitments.
And
we should - and we wish to - create certainty, especially legal certainty,
where Brexit has created uncertainty and a lot of worry.
Ladies
and gentlemen,
On
citizens' rights, we are making some progress, although we need to work further
on a number of points.
The
UK wants to put in place administrative procedures through which EU citizens
can obtain "settled status".
The
EU needed reassurances on how such a system would work: it should be simple to
use, and low cost. We also needed reassurance on how people, when rejected, can
appeal effectively.
The
UK has now provided useful clarifications that are a good basis for further
work.
We
also had encouraging discussions on direct effect of the withdrawal agreement.
This is a key point to guarantee citizens' rights.
There
are still a number of points that need more work:
1. family reunification;
2. the right to export social security
benefits;
3. and the role of the European Court of
justice in guaranteeing consistent application of case law in the UK and in the
EU.
These
three issues are important for people, as the European Parliament has also
stressed.
We
will continue our dialogue on Ireland and Northern Ireland.
We
have to ensure a common reading, the same reading, of the conditions,
consequences and implications of Brexit on the Good Friday Agreement and the
Common Travel Area.
This
should lead us to identify the technical and regulatory solutions necessary to
prevent a hard border, while preserving the integrity of the Single Market.
As
David and I told you last time, the unique situation on the island of Ireland
requires specific solutions.
Ladies
and gentlemen,
On
the financial settlement, we must now work on the precise translation of the
commitments made by Prime Minister May in her Florence speech.
I
repeat that this is an essential condition to reach sufficient progress in
December.
Once
again, I repeat that this – as in any separation – is about settling the
accounts.
Ladies
and gentlemen,
The
United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union over 500 days ago. And it
will leave the Union on 29 March 2019 at midnight, Brussels time.
And
to reach our common goal – that of organising an orderly withdrawal with an
agremeent – we are going to have to work intensively over the coming weeks,
before the next European Council.
Thank
you.

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