Coming up on @BBCNewsnight with me - exclusive first UK TV interview with Macron’s Europe minister Clement Beaune responding to No 10 saying talks over & Barnier should not come to London. on fish, state aid, internal market bill, and a “misunderstanding” about Canada ...
So progress made over past week, areas of compromise were starting to open up on state aid/ governance.
But PM’s Oct 15 deadline gambit all about getting EU summit to adapt Barnier mandate - didn’t happen... in that respect it is worth careful look at what minister told me yday:
But PM’s Oct 15 deadline gambit all about getting EU summit to adapt Barnier mandate - didn’t happen... in that respect it is worth careful look at what minister told me yday:
1. Asked reaction to “talks over” & Barnier shouldn’t travel to London @Cbeaune tells me “still willing to discuss” & “now up to UK to say whether its worth discussing”.. if UK say “we’re ready to do another round of discussion” we “willing and happy”
https://twitter.com/bbcnewsnight/status/1317227260739452928?s=21
2. Haven’t you provoked failure of talks by removing word intensively and saying only UK should move...?
@cbeaune: “Unfortunate a draft version was seen as a reference base case” “did not choose to close negotiations... negotiator ready to come to London - a constructive symbol”.
@cbeaune: “Unfortunate a draft version was seen as a reference base case” “did not choose to close negotiations... negotiator ready to come to London - a constructive symbol”.
3. “A free trade agreement exactly what we’re discussing, but has to be clearly stated, maybe there’s a misunderstanding -every single trade deal EU has negotiated specific to the country. UK is not Canada.
So Canada not on offer?
@CBeaune “Not exactly..”
So Canada not on offer?
@CBeaune “Not exactly..”
https://twitter.com/bbcnewsnight/status/1317227294214311936?s=21
4. @CBeaune: “Even the UK is not asking itself for having a copy paste of the EU-Canada agreement... so its a framework fine, but we want some specific things with UK, and so does the UK”
5. Surely not going to allow deal to blow up over state aid which UK hardly uses - worried abt UK billions going into car industry?
“of course - should be deal for years/decades. doesnt depend on platform of specific govt, so need a robust framework”
“of course - should be deal for years/decades. doesnt depend on platform of specific govt, so need a robust framework”
https://twitter.com/bbcnewsnight/status/1317227294214311936?s=21
6. ... @cbeaune: “...If it's not important, if the UK is not intending to use state aid, why is it so important to take your phrase ‘to blow up a deal’ just on the basis of having a mechanism of alignment”
7. Me: “you do want to limit this power [over us state aid]”
“Yes... we are negotiating because UK wants market access to UK, it means you have to find compromises and rules...reconcile two sovereignties...
“Yes... we are negotiating because UK wants market access to UK, it means you have to find compromises and rules...reconcile two sovereignties...
8. @cbeaune: “...no world in which you can have totally free market access, zero tariffs and zero quotas to a partner very close economically and geographically and not follow the rules”
9. Me -you’re bluffing because you need access to our waters, quarter of French catch.. you’re preventing compromise.
Beaune: “we’re stricter than average, but this is EU position..we get it that if there is no deal theres no access to British waters, one reason we prefer a deal”
Beaune: “we’re stricter than average, but this is EU position..we get it that if there is no deal theres no access to British waters, one reason we prefer a deal”
10. Willing to compromise on current fish quotas?
“Open to discussing everything in the mandate
We know the situation in any case after Jan 1st will not be the same. But you can not say “we care about fisherman, respect our sovereignty” - there’s exactly the same on our side”
“Open to discussing everything in the mandate
We know the situation in any case after Jan 1st will not be the same. But you can not say “we care about fisherman, respect our sovereignty” - there’s exactly the same on our side”
11. If it comes to no deal, is France going to be pragmatic on checks in Calais for example to keep trade flowing?
“We have to prepare for fact that there will be difficulties at both our borders, we will have to discuss how to handle them. But we cant minimise what no deal is.”
“We have to prepare for fact that there will be difficulties at both our borders, we will have to discuss how to handle them. But we cant minimise what no deal is.”
12. ** “IF there is no deal, and we will know that in a few days or weeks.. its not end of story we’ll have maybe later to discuss a trade agreement or something else. I don’t think everything stops on Jan 1st... I would wish another form of cooperation would be put in place”.
13. “We do respect priorities for UK, including fisheries. But I think we need a political understanding on UK side of what priorities of EU also are. When you strike a deal you combine sovereignties - everyone has to make efforts, demonstrate it, not just political pressure”...
14. Beaune: “Even recently in difficult moments, with the internal markets bill, its a big problem, a breach of the agreement from last year, even in this case we never left the table of negotiations...”
*15. Beaune: “deals need mechanisms to ensure rules respected...Its true that Internal Markets Bill created question of trust between EU & UK - not me or France - it was recognised by British Govt it was a breach. not too late to stop it. But ofc means we need strong mechanisms”
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