UK cannot have same trade deal with EU like Canada – Barnier
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The UK cannot have the same trade deal with the EU as Canada, according to the bloc’s chief negotiator.
BBC reports Michel Barnier saying that the EU was ready to offer an “ambitious partnership” with the UK post-Brexit, but its “particular proximity” meant it would be different.
The Guardian reports that Michel Barnier has rejected British demands for a Canada-style trade deal that would free the UK from EU rules as he made a thinly-veiled warning to Boris Johnson not to break his word.
It is understood Barnier has privately fumed that the UK was backsliding on its promises. The joint political declaration committed both sides to “robust” provisions in a trade deal to avoid either side undercutting the other.
Speaking in response to a landmark speech by David Frost, Britain’s Brexit negotiator, Barnier said the prime minister had agreed only six months ago to stick to the EU’s state aid rules and current social and environmental regulations after the transition period.
Politico reports “Brussels wants any deal granting the U.K. access to the single market to ensure “zero dumping” — meaning no under-cutting of EU businesses through lower U.K. social, environmental or competition standards. The U.K. side rejects any assumption that U.K. standards should be dictated by Brussels and supervised by the European Court of Justice. Speaking in Brussels yesterday, U.K. chief negotiator David Frost made clear this was not some negotiating posture but a hard red line.”
