Thread by @JenniferMerode

Michel Barnier: The EU wants to turn the page on the "negative" Brexit divorce to the next phase of negotiations.

Here are some highlights from his interview with 8 newspapers, including @guardian

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

@guardian First Barnier's reaction to UK 12 December election

In a statement released after the interview he noted the EU had granted extension to ratify "the fair and reasonable" agreement agreed with UK - echo of Boris Johnson's language.
He hopes that will happen.

2.

MB "I hope that that will be the case between now and the period immediately following the General Election."

Now the interview - his first since taking charge of EU taskforce on the future (aka UKTF - commission decided against TFUK… for some reason).
3.

Level playing field. Michel Barnier may have a new catchphrase for Brexit phase II. He said twice: “The agreement we are ready to discuss is zero tariffs, zero quotas, zero dumping.”
The three zeros are linked. He said there would never be naiveté on the European side.
4.

Enter the Walloons. MB stressed future trade deal will have to be ratified by national *and* regional parliaments across EU. EU will go for provisional implementation, but will not allow ratification skipped.
“Don’t underestimate the difficulties."
5. retweet to fix typo