Brexit deal possible by October 2018 - European Commission negotiator says

A final deal on Britain's exit from the EU could be reached by October 2018, the European Commission's chief negotiator says.

Setting out the European Commission's plans for the first time, Michel Barnier said: "Time will be short. It is clear that the period of actual negotiations will be shorter than two years."

Mr Barnier said that if Britain triggers Article 50 by the end of March - as Theresa May has said she wants to do - an agreement would be needed by October of the following year in order to get it through the European Parliament in time for March 2019.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing the Government's case for pressing ahead with invoking Article 50 after the High Court ruled that the Government must put such a move to a vote by MPs.

He said the process would be "legally complicated, politically sensitive and have very important consequences for our people".On triggering Article 50, he said: "The European Union is ready to receive the notification. We are ready. Keep calm and negotiate."

He added: "It's up to the British to say what relations they want and up to the 27 to define their future relations with Britain."

Britain voted to leave the EU in a shock referendum result in June, but Mrs May is yet to set out London's demands in detail.

Mr Barnier warned that the UK would not be able to "cherry-pick" which EU rights and obligations it wishes to keep.

Among the "third countries", the UK could never receive the same benefits as a full member of the EU, he warned.

"The single market and its four freedoms are indivisible. Cherry-picking is not an option."

Despite earlier suggestions that he would insist on French being the language of the Article 50 talks, Mr Barnier spoke in both English and French at the Brussels press conference.

He said he was aiming for an "orderly" Brexit, but said it was "too soon" to discuss the details of how it would happen.

"We are entering uncharted waters," said the French former foreign minister.

"The work will be legally complex, politically sensitive and will have important consequences for our economies and for our people, on both sides of the Channel."

The prime minister's spokesman said the Government does not want to extend Brexit negotiations beyond the two-year timetable.

The spokesman added that the Government was confident it could achieve a "smooth and orderly" transition from the EU. 

The Prime Minister has frustrated some on her own benches by not spelling out her goals and up to 40 potential Tory rebels are thought to be prepared to back a Labour motion on the issue on Wednesday.

Mrs May continued to keep her cards close to her chest during a visit to Bahrain, refusing to rule out the UK paying for access to the single market after Brexit and repeating her promise to achieve an "ambitious" deal.

She said: "We will be looking to negotiate the best possible terms that we can with the European Union.

"Crucially, this is not about how we retain bits of what we've already got, but what our new relationship with the EU is.

"And I think that's a relationship which is not just a single UK as supplicant into the EU, actually it's about the EU as well, it's about the UK." 

Follow The Forefront on:

   > facebook Global audience 

   > facebook Nigerian audience  
   > The Forefront on Twitter
   >BBM Channel: C002CB006 {WELCOME TO THE FOREFRONT}

 >{Instagram: the_forefront_nigeria }

 Connect with Joshua Osagie (Blog owner) 
 >  facebook personal account 
 > facebook  (fan page) 

 > twitter

 > Instagram: osagiejoshua

Share this post with others on social media with options below.