EU negotiator wants Britain to settle accounts ahead of Brexit
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THE European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator insisted yesterday that Britain’s accounts must be settled before any talks on its future trade relationship with the EU can take place, warning time is running out to seal a deal by 2019.
Unveiling the European Commission’s negotiating mandate on Britain’s departure, Michel Barnier said he was not hostile to Britain and the bloc although he but did not want to punish it for leaving the EU.
The amount London owes the EU has become one of the most contentious subjects in the Brexit process, with reports estimating as much as 100 billion euros (US$109 billion) — a figure Britain has flatly rejected paying.
It’s the first time an EU member has ever left the union, so these negotiations are unprecedented and complicated. They are combined with fresh delays caused by a snap general election in Britain, which has cranked up tensions between Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and the 27 remaining nations in the EU.
Barnier underlined that Britain and its EU partners had together agreed the bloc’s 2014-2020 budget, and that Britain must pay up its share of contributions.
“Engagements were undertaken and they have to be honored. It’s a question of responsibility,” he said.
Barnier did not specify how much Britain should pay, but his negotiating mandate said it should cover budget payments, the cost of ending Britain’s membership of any EU institution including banks, and the bill for relocating any EU agencies on its territory. London must also pay in euros rather than pounds, meaning that it should bear the currency exchange costs.
He said that in the coming months he will focus on tackling two other issues: The future of some 5 million citizens affected by the move, and border issues with neighboring Ireland.
Barnier, a former French government minister, told reporters in Brussels that “the UK must put a great deal of energy and effort” into those topics, and talks can only start in earnest once a new government is formed in London.
The British government minister charged with overseeing the withdrawal rejected the notion the UK will be forced to pay a reported bill of 100 billion euros.
David Davis insisted the EU was not able to arbitrarily set a figure and that the final amount paid will come out of negotiations.
Davis said Britain would meet its international obligations but that “we will not be paying 100 billion.” He also dismissed reports the EU could bar May from Brexit discussions at future heads of state and government meetings.
The European Parliament’s Brexit point-man Guy Verhofstadt also weighed in on Britain. He said the parties must agree on the “accounting principles” from which the bill will be determined.
“We cannot ask to the 27 remaining members to pay the bill for the departure of a country,” he said. As in any divorce, he added, “you can’t just say ‘My partner will take all the burden’.”
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