1st meeting of new UK Coordination Group has finished. Chairman @davidmcallister tells us EP's draft resolution on the negotiating mandate for trade talks with the UK should be adopted tomorrow and voted on in Strasbourg next Wednesday. It's been turned around in just 48 hours.
He says: 'We all know that thanks to the British decision to definitely not extend the transition period we don't have much time left. We need to prioritise and let's see how far we can get. Our priorities as an EP are trade on the one hand, security cooperation on the other.'
He adds: 'We need a whole governance structure, but in our resolution you will see all political fields covered - fisheries, energy, transport, science, environment. We're following every speech of UK PM and Govt officials. Let's get the negotiations started and see how it goes.'
He says the new UK Coordination Group will look to build on the reputation of the now defunct Brexit Steering Group as 'a platform where we can have open and frank discussions with Michel Barnier'. The Frenchman will report regularly to the group on progress in the trade talks.
A parliamentary source adds it was clear during Barnier's briefing that 'should there be hiccups in the execution of the Withdrawal Agreement' that would stall the trade talks. This was written into the EU mandate due to concerns about the UK not carrying out Irish Sea checks.
