Michel Barnier: Brexit remains a lose-lose for both the EU and Britain

Seven years on, I still believe Britain’s divorce from the EU is a negative — but we will spend more time thinking about future member states than former ones, writes Michel Barnier

No one since the beginning on the negotiations in 2017, not even Nigel Farage, has been able to demonstrate any value added by Brexit (PA Archive)

It may seem strange to celebrate the anniversary of a divorce, even more so seven years on. From my point of view, there is not a lot to celebrate.

Brexit remains a lose-lose situation both for the European Union and the United Kingdom.

No one since the beginning of the negotiations in 2017, not even Mr Farage, has been able to demonstrate any value added by Brexit.

On the European side, for two years now, Brexit has been consigned to the history books.

We are now concentrating on other important subjects, such as climate change, the stability of our continent and the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

In the next 15 years, we will devote more time to negotiating with future member states than former ones.

I praise Rishi Sunak for finally choosing pragmatism over dogmatism, and for entering into constructive talks with the European Commission. This is what the Windsor Framework is about.

Nevertheless, three years have been lost.

It is now time to look forward.

As long as the United Kingdom, as it has chosen to be, remains out of the single market and the customs union, there will be barriers in our trade and economic relationship.

During the negotiations, the EU clearly stated that cherry-picking the benefits of the single market would be unacceptable. That it would weaken our single market. That is still the case today – whether we are talking about financial services, or rules of origin.

We must remain pragmatic and tell each other the truth as I constantly did throughout the negotiations.

Progress is possible.

Brexit treaties can be completed by other agreements in key sectors where Mr Johnson refused to negotiate. I am thinking of security, defence or cooperation over development matters.

Despite being separated by Brexit and the Channel, we will be more efficient and stronger if we find in these areas and in others, including research, good cooperation between the European Union and the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is a great country I have always admired and for which I have a lot of respect. While I still believe Brexit is negative, I think it is now time to move forward.

Michel Barnier is the former Chief Negotiator of the European Union for Brexit negotiations and author of My Brexit Secret Diary (Polity)