EU's Michel Barnier wants UK to 'respect' the terms agreed before Brexit

The chief negotiator of the European Union (EU) Michel Barnier on September 7 said that the terms Britain agreed to before formally exiting the bloc “must be respected” as UK-EU post-Brexit negotiations reach a deadlock on several issues. In an interview with French radio outlet, he said that everything that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government agreed to sign must be taken into consideration as the 11-month transition period between both sides approach to an end. 

EU’s chief negotiator’s remarks came in response to a Financial Times report claiming that Johnson’s Conservative government is planning to reconsider the agreements on Northern Ireland and state aid. According to reports, Barnier also said that he would discuss the report with the UK’s chief negotiator David Frost during the eighth round of negotiations that would shape the relationship between the UK and the 27-nation-bloc after December 31, when the transition period ends. 

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UK warns EU that it 'won't blink first' 

EU's call for 'respecting' the terms came as Britain warned the European Union that it is not going to blink first in the trade talks. UK’s top Brexit negotiator warned the 27-nation-bloc on September 6 in a televised interview as the negotiations between both sides have only made a little headway on agreeing for a new trade agreement to be followed after the 11-month transition period ends on December 31, 2020. 

David Frost told the Mail that the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government has come after the previous administration and negotiating team that “had blinked” and “had its bluff called at critical moments”. According to him, it led the EU to “not take our word seriously”. Therefore, Frost explained that a lot of what the UK is aiming at doing is to get the bloc to realise that Britain means what it says and their position shall be taken “seriously”. This came just days before the UK-EU post-Brexit talks are set to resume in London on September 8.

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Image credit: AP