Michel Barnier, the Frenchman who was EU Commissioner for services and the internal market, is expected to head the Commission’s ‘Taskforce for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 of the TEU.’ Barnier failed in his bid to become President of the EU Commission …
UK-EU negotiations
UK will need “statecraft at its best” on trade
London is slowly recovering from the shock and confusion created by the UK’s Brexit vote on 23 June. The UK wants to make good on newly appointed Prime Minister Theresa May’s promise to voters that “Brexit is Brexit”. The question now is: yes, but how? The process of thinking about what …
UK Prime Minister nominates staunch eurosceptics to EU and trade role
The new UK government led by Theresa May has nominated David Davis to the role of Secretary of State for Leaving the EU, and Liam Fox to the role of Secretary of State for International Trade. Both are committed to leaving the EU after the country’s in-out-referendum on 23 June. …
Brexit: French-German business calls for end of UK financial services passport– EU show of unity
EU leaders in government and business are seeking a common view on how to handle the EU’s negotiations with the United Kingdom on its planned exit from the EU following the country’s referendum on the issue on Thursday (23 June). Business groups are adamant that the UK should be …
Brexit: Commission in drive to stick to business as usual on trade agreements
The Commission has vowed to stick to its current trade policy plans despite the challenge to its unity and to its resources posed by the pending withdrawal of Britain from the EU. In a defiant statement on Monday, trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström responded to questions about whether the United …
EU agri-food sector alarmed by Brexit decision
Will New Zealanders and Aussies obtain better access to the British market than French wine producers in a few year’s time if Britain seals its own deals with these countries? Or will the absence of the powerful spirits lobby in Brussels weaken Brussels’ hand in future trade negotiations in emerging …
Brexit: EU and UK enter era of “massive unknowns”
The outcome of United Kingdom’s referendum on its membership in the EU throws up many questions on the future of the country’s trade relationships with the EU and the wider world, and puts TTIP at risk, experts say.
