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| European Commission appoints chief Brexit negotiator but says he won't speak to UK until Article 50 triggered | European Commission appoints chief Brexit negotiator but says he won't speak to UK until Article 50 triggered |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The European Commission has appointed a chief Brexit negotiator but has made clear he will not engage with Britain until Article 50 is formally triggered - nor start work until 1 October. | |
| Michel Barnier, a former French government minister and ex-European Commission vice-president, will start work after the holiday season and then spend the next few months preparing the ground in Brussels for the negotiations. His appointment was announced by commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, who said he wanted "an experienced politician for this difficult job". | |
| Describing Mr Barnier as "a skilled negotiator with rich experience in major policy areas relevant to the negotiations", Mr Juncker said: "I am very glad that my friend Michel Barnier accepted this important and challenging task. I wanted an experienced politician for this difficult job. | Describing Mr Barnier as "a skilled negotiator with rich experience in major policy areas relevant to the negotiations", Mr Juncker said: "I am very glad that my friend Michel Barnier accepted this important and challenging task. I wanted an experienced politician for this difficult job. |
| "He has an extensive network of contacts in the capitals of all EU member states and in the European Parliament, which I consider a valuable asset for this function. | "He has an extensive network of contacts in the capitals of all EU member states and in the European Parliament, which I consider a valuable asset for this function. |
| "Michel will have access to all Commission resources necessary to perform his tasks. He will report directly to me, and I will invite him to brief regularly the College [of commissioners] to keep my team abreast of the negotiations. I am sure that he will live up to this new challenge and help us to develop a new partnership with the United Kingdom after it will have left the European Union." | "Michel will have access to all Commission resources necessary to perform his tasks. He will report directly to me, and I will invite him to brief regularly the College [of commissioners] to keep my team abreast of the negotiations. I am sure that he will live up to this new challenge and help us to develop a new partnership with the United Kingdom after it will have left the European Union." |
| Mr Barnier, who is known as a tough negotiator and against a "pick and mix approach" to the single market, said in a Tweet he was "honoured" by the appointment. | |
| Mr Juncker acknowledged earlier this week that the UK Government may need several months to prepare its position before negotiations start. In a French TV interview on Monday, he said he had no "deadline" for the talks to begin, adding: "The British Government needs several months to fine tune its position. Our British friends know that there will be no negotiation before notification of their farewell letter." | Mr Juncker acknowledged earlier this week that the UK Government may need several months to prepare its position before negotiations start. In a French TV interview on Monday, he said he had no "deadline" for the talks to begin, adding: "The British Government needs several months to fine tune its position. Our British friends know that there will be no negotiation before notification of their farewell letter." |
| However he reiterated that Britain will have to accept four EU freedoms - including the free movement of people - "without exception or nuance" if it wants to keep full access to the single market after Brexit. | However he reiterated that Britain will have to accept four EU freedoms - including the free movement of people - "without exception or nuance" if it wants to keep full access to the single market after Brexit. |
| It comes as Ms May continues her diplomacy tour of Europe with a visit to Italy on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Rome. This will be followed by a trip to Slovakia and Poland on Thursday where she is expected to engage with the European leaders on Brexit. A Number 10 spokesman said Mrs May wanted an early visit to Italy after becoming PM earlier this month, because of the close relations it has with the UK. | It comes as Ms May continues her diplomacy tour of Europe with a visit to Italy on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Rome. This will be followed by a trip to Slovakia and Poland on Thursday where she is expected to engage with the European leaders on Brexit. A Number 10 spokesman said Mrs May wanted an early visit to Italy after becoming PM earlier this month, because of the close relations it has with the UK. |