Thread by @colmomongain

An EU source tells me that today's #Barnier #Brexit op-ed does not signal any shift in the EU position or offer anything new to the UK. They said reflects what has been said on previous occasions by Mr Barnier and that he had "nothing concrete in mind".

Asked about the timing, the source said the #Barnier #Brexit piece targetted the 26 EU member states other than the UK and Ireland & was "an exercise in bringing all other member states up to speed on the state of play" and "was not drafted in any way to signal a change".

EU source re. #Brexit #Barnier "We're saying we aren't intransigent, we're willing to listen, we'll consider innovative solutions w. in the clear legal limits. But if [UK] is not flexible...there's no room for flexibility".

#Barnier #Brexit op-ed was an effort to "capture the mood rather than say anything new".

The EU added overnight that the Brexit Op-ed by Michel Barnier "does not indicate a change in our position regarding the fact that the backstop cannot be applied to the UK as a whole".