Michel Barnier speaking at an academic event in the EU Parliament. He says that after December 31 ‘all goods coming from the UK, as they do from China or the US, will have to be checked at the border of the Single Market’. 
Barnier: 'We've heard PM Johnson's assurances the UK would never engage in a race to the bottom. We're ready to believe this. I don't believe the UK will become some sort of Singapore-on-Thames but that means it shouldn't be a problem for it to agree on a number of ground rules.'
Barnier: 'There are not two ways about it - every preferential trade agreement sets terms and conditions for opening up markets. There was never and there will never be a single template. Our deals with Canada or others give us reference points but we need to tailor them.'
Barnier: 'We're ready to offer the UK super preferential access to our markets. This with a direct competitor right on our doorstep. Is this something we can do without firm guarantees the UK will avoid unfair competitive advantages? The answer I'm afraid is simple - we cannot.'
