Brussels will not be able to ‘cherry-pick’ a Brexit deal with Britain warns David Davis in challenge to EU negotiator Michel Barnier
Brexit Secretary used his adversary’s own phrase against him saying Britain wants 'the full sweep of economic cooperation' in our future relationship
BRUSSELS will not be able to “cherry-pick” the Brexit deal they want with Britain warns David Davis, as he makes a direct challenge to EU negotiator Michel Barnier.
The Brexit Secretary used his adversary’s own phrase against him saying Britain wants “the full sweep of economic cooperation” in our future relationship.
And he said financial services must not be excluded from any agreement, in contradiction to Mr Barnier’s comments in the past year.
He has repeatedly insisted the UK cannot choose to keep the best elements of membership when it quits the bloc.
But Mr Davis said a deal that took some areas of the current economic relationship but not others would be "cherry picking".
His comments in an article in come as the two sides prepare to get back round the table to discuss trade and transition after last month’s agreement on the first phase of talks.
The Cabinet minister wrote: "I do not believe the strength of this cooperation needs change because we are leaving the European Union.
"Many of these principles can be applied to services trade too. Given the strength and breadth of the pan-European economic relationship, a deal that took in some areas of our economic relationship but not others would be, in the favoured phrase of EU diplomats, cherry picking.
“My objective is that services can be traded across borders, from highly regulated sectors like financial services, to technological ones such as artificial intelligence.
“Of course this will require some common principles: our shared adherence to international standards; the cooperation of our regulators; and an effective dispute resolution mechanism with proportionate remedies.”
It comes as the government faces pressure to provide more clarity for business as the new phase of exit talks begin.
EU leaders in the rest of the bloc remained united during the first stage of negotiations, but the bond could be tested as the bloc considers what kind of trading terms are on offer to the UK - an important export market for many member states.
However Mr Davis added: “But just as many wrongly predicted that the exit negotiations would not move on by this point, so there are many reasons to be optimistic about the direction of the future trade talks.
“I understand when people say that the first responsibility for proposing solutions to Brexit's conundrums lies on the British side.”
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He said: “But that does not mean that the process should be all one way. In my experience, the world sees Brexit as a European issue, not solely a British one.
“The spirit of mutual compromise which gave us momentum in the talks last year needs to continue and I'm encouraged when the EU's negotiator says he is ready to offer their most ambitious free trade approach.
“The negotiations about the future will not be straightforward. They will generate the same public thunder and lightning we have seen in the past year.
“But I believe they will be successful, because the future of the Europe continent is best served by strong and successful relationships.”
EU set for huge fight over £9bn Brexit black hole in budget
EU states are set to be hit with a huge hike in budget payments as Britain prepares to quit, it has emerged.
Brussels bosses will use the New Year to debate the next round of the EU budget which will run from 2021-27, the Financial Times reported.
The UK's departure leaves a black hole of £9billion a year which must either be cut from the budget or replaced with higher payments from the 27 remaining countires.
The EU commissioner in charge of the budget suggested half of the shortfall would be made good by member states and the other half would simply be cut.
That would take the overall size of the EU budget above 1 per cent of European income for the first time ever.
Countries which pay in more than they take out, including the Netherlands and Germany, are likely to seek tough new conditions on EU spending in exchange for increasing their payments.