Michel Barnier

Barnier talks tough on immigration in quest for France’s centre-right presidential ticket

Europe's former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, now seeking the centre-right ticket in France's 2022 election, said the country was deeply divided and accused President Emmanuel Macron of being oblivious…

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Ex-EU Brexit negotiator Barnier to run in French presidential centre-right primary

Michel Barnier, the European Union's former Brexit negotiator, said he would participate in his centre-right camp's probable primaries for next year's French presidential election, joining an already crowded field of…

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Ex-EU Brexit negotiator Barnier: UK reputation at stake in Brexit row

Michel Barnier, the European Union's former Brexit negotiator, said on Monday that the reputation of the United Kingdom was at stake regarding tensions over Brexit. EU politicians have accused British…

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EU negotiator Barnier spills Brexit secrets in new book

The EU's pointman on Brexit, Michel Barnier, releases a book Thursday recounting the insider track on Britain's acrimonious departure and teasing his ambition to become France's next president. Written with…

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EU’s Barnier, asked about future, says plans to serve France

PARIS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday he saw himself serving his home country, France, in some capacity following the completion of…

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EU’s Barnier to brief envoys on Brexit talks on Monday – official

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will brief ambassadors from the bloc on Monday morning about the state of negotiations with Britain after the two…

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Malta: PM in bilateral meeting with Head of Task Force for relations with UK, Michel Barnier

Before embarking on talks on the second day of the Special Summit which is meeting in Brussels, the PM Robert Abela had a bilateral meeting with the Head of Task…

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EU chief negotiator “determined” to get Brexit deal

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Wednesday he was determined to reach a deal with Britain, declining to comment on legislation that the British government says could breach parts…

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EU’s Barnier still hopes trade deal with Britain possible – sources

The European Union's Brexit negotiator told the bloc's 27 national envoys to Brussels that he still hoped a trade deal with Britain was possible, stressing that the coming days would…

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French minister denies Brexit negotiator Barnier sidelined

France denied the European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier was about to be sidelined by EU leaders in a bid to break the deadlock in trade talks, as reported by…

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EU demanding potential veto on Britain’s post-Brexit laws, regulations

The European Union is demanding a potential veto on Britain's post-Brexit laws and regulations, The Times (UK) newspaper reported on Saturday, citing senior government officials. The British daily reported that…

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Barnier says Britain is asking too much of EU in Brexit talks

Britain is seeking a trading relationship with the European Union that is too close to that of an EU member, the EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Wednesday, urging…

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Britain must respect EU’s independence – Barnier

Britain must respect the EU's "independence" and accept that the bloc has its own red-lines in trade talks, the bloc's chief negotiator has warned Boris Johnson, according to The Independent. Michel…

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Future relation between the EU and the UK discussed in European Parliament

Barnier told the European Parliament that the EU will grant equivalence to particular sectors of its financial services industry but he said that there will not be “general, open-ended” equivalence in…

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EU confirms there will be border checks inside UK under Brexit deal

There will be border checks on trade inside the UK under the Brexit deal negotiated by Boris Johnson, the EU’s chief negotiator has said. Michel Barnier confirmed there would be…

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EU’s official: No-deal is more harmful for Britain than EU

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator said Thursday that if Britain wants as much access as possible to the bloc's market after it leaves, it won't have unfettered freedom to…

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‘Not even Farage can explain the benefits of Brexit to me,’ says Barnier

“No-one has ever managed to explain the added value of Brexit to me, not even Nigel Farage.” They were the words of EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as he…

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Brussels insists business as usual amid Brexit delay request from UK

As he emerged from a "short and normal" meeting with EU Ambassadors in Brussels this morning, the EU's Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier joked with waiting reporters saying, "you are very…

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Brexit talks enter last day before crunch EU summit

EU and UK officials have resumed Brexit talks in the hope of reaching a deal that can be agreed by leaders at a key summit on Thursday. Prime Minister Boris…

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Barnier warns EU ambassadors that latest Brexit negotiations were difficult

Michel Barnier has warned EU ambassadors that the latest negotiations with Boris Johnson’s government have been “difficult”, with it appearing increasingly unlikely that agreement can be found by the time…

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UPDATED: Barclay and Barnier holding make-or-break Brexit talks

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is meeting the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels to assess whether they can salvage a deal by next week. The pair will see if…

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EU leaders pull apart UK’s Brexit proposals

EU leaders have pulled apart the UK's Brexit proposals, accusing Boris Johnson of putting forward untested ideas to solve the Irish border crisis. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the EU…

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Barnier says new Brexit deal by deadline next week ‘very difficult but possible’

The EU's chief negotiator has said it is "very difficult but possible" to strike a Brexit deal before next week's deadline. Michel Barnier laid down the warning after a nearly…

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EU ‘open but unconvinced’ by Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan

The European Union is "open but not convinced" by the UK PM's new proposals for a Brexit deal with the EU, the president of the European Council says. Donald Tusk…

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British Brexit secretary to meet EU’s chief negotiator

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is to hold talks with the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, later. It comes after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told Sky News on Thursday that…

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The European Commission is willing to “work day and night” on Brexit, Juncker and Barnier address EU Parliament

The European Commission is willing to "work day and night" on Brexit, President Jean-Claude Juncker told the plenary of the European Parliament on Wednesday. He added that he believed a…

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Michel Barnier ‘not optimistic’ about avoiding no-deal Brexit

The European Union's top Brexit negotiator has said he is not optimistic about avoiding a no-deal scenario as he cannot meet Britain's demands to scrap the Irish backstop. Michel Barnier…

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Brexit agreement is ‘the best deal possible’, EU Commission says – Johnson considers no-deal Brexit as his central scenario

The deal reached on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union is the "best possible" and is not up for negotiation but the European Commission is ready to talk with British…

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Johnson’s Brexit plan dismissed by Barnier

The EU’s chief negotiator has immediately dismissed Boris Johnson‘s latest Brexit plan just hours after he unveiled it to MPs. In an email to member states seen by The Independent Michel Barnier…

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Barnier and Timmermans reaction on Johnson’s election

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier congratulated Johnson on his victory, saying they would work towards an orderly exit for Britain. In an intervention timed to coincide with Mr…

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May never threatened EU with no-Deal Brexit – Barnier

British Prime Minister Theresa May "never" attempted to threaten the EU with a no-deal Brexit during divorce negotiations, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told the BBC's Panorama program.…

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Barnier has what it takes to be the European Commission’s next President – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron thinks the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier should be under consideration for the European Commission top job. "Undeniably, Michel Barnier is a man who has…

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Barnier in Malta stresses that on Brexit, the ball is in UK’s court

The EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is in Malta to discuss Brexit with the Maltese Government. The Times reports that Brexit lead negotiator Michel Barnier said that the EU was open to being…

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Barnier’s role in Europe’s future

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, was only supposed to say a few words about the vote in the British House of Commons on Tuesday morning. But then he…

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EU’s goal is to protect the Belfast Agreement, peace in Ireland and the single market in case of a no deal Brexit

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said whatever happens with Brexit the “EU will stand fully behind Ireland”. Meeting Taoiseach Leo Vardakar, Barnier said that the goal was to protect…

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Barnier says EU would allow permanent customs union if UK wants it

Michel Barnier, the EU's Brexit negotiator, in a speech in Warsaw, Poland, said that the EU would agree to put a permanent customs union in the political declaration, the text…

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EU is not interested in Brexit blame game – Barnier

The EU is "not interested in the blame game," chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Friday, as he spelt out legal reassurances offered to the U.K. in recent days. The…

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Corbyn meets Barnier

The leader of Britain's biggest opposition party warned on Thursday that there was a "very serious" risk that the country would crash out of the European Union without a deal.…

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Barnier says that Theresa May should endorse Labour’s proposal of a permanent customs union

The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Monday British Prime Minister Theresa should endorse a permanent customs union with the bloc — as proposed by the opposition Labour…

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Will Barnier be the next European Commission President?

via Politico - "European Union Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier opened the new political year vocally discussing Europe's future — possibly hinting at his own next career step. "Now is not the…

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Brexit deal within reach – Barnier

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator said Wednesday that an agreement on Britain's exit "is within reach," if negotiations make progress before a summit next week. Michel Barnier said that…

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Diplomatique.Expert – Brexit News Review

Jeremy Corbyn will tell the EU’s chief negotiator that a “no-deal” Brexit is not acceptable as he seeks to break the impasse in negotiations. The Labour leader is travelling to…

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Barnier indicates revised proposal on border issues as May visits Salzburg for two-day Brexit summit

Theresa May is travelling to Salzburg, in a bid to find some much-needed harmony on Brexit at a two-day summit of European leaders. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Barnier said he…

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Thursday Morning Briefing

Good morning, A powerful earthquake hit Japan, the two Koreas agreed for a summit later on this month, while Donald Trump's experience at the White House remains an issue for…

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Michel Barnier has warned that Theresa May’s Chequer’s deal will spell the “end” of the European project and the Single Market.

Michel Barnier has warned that Theresa May's Chequer's deal will spell the "end" of the European project and the Single Market. The EU's chief Brexit negotiator told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung,…

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