Thread by @e_casalicchio

Michel Barnier still not too happy about Brexit: "Brexit is meant to be about taking back control but what else does it mean? It means creating trade barriers that do not exist today." In lecture at Queen's University Belfast

Barnier points out that none of the EU nations would have the same economic impact as the bloc as a whole.

Barnier: "Implementing this new system will be a big
challenge, in particular for UK authorities. In agreeing to the Protocol, the UK has agreed to a system of reinforced checks and controls for goods enteringNorthern
Ireland from Great Britain."

THERE WILL BE CHECKS

Barnier: "I understand the fears of negative economic fallout
expressed by some about these checks. But Brexit unfortunately has consequences that we must manage."

Barnier: The NI protocol signed by Boris Johnson "makes frictionless trade impossible. It makes checks indispensable."

Boris Johnson has repeatedly insisted there will not be checks.

Barnier says the UK and EU will need the transition period and "probably more" to negotiate the future relationship.

"A new clock is ticking. 11 months is extremely short."

Barnier turns to standards: "Aligning with our standards may have a price. But the return is access to our Single Market."

Barnier piles the pressure on the UK govt: "In our joint Political Declaration on our future relationship, the UK agreed that we need common standards to avoid unfair competitive advantages." Asks which standards the UK wants to diverge from... those relating to product safety?

Barnier: "...the UK cannot expect high-quality access to our
Single Market if it insists on competing on State aid, social or environmental standards."

Barnier seemed quite disappointed there that the event had finished.