Michel Barnier News
Michel Barnier succeeds Gabriel Attal, who stepped down on July 16 after snap legislative elections resulted in a divided and hung parliament, throwing France into political uncertainty.
The EU`s Brexit negotiator told the bloc`s 27 national envoys to Brussels that he still hoped a trade deal with Britain was possible, stressing that the coming days would be decisive, sources told Reuters.
Michel Barnier addressed the gathering on Wednesday and the three sources either participated in the discussion behind closed doors or were briefed on its content.
A second diplomat, asked what Barnier said on Wednesday and whether there was still a chance for a new agreement with the UK, said: "The hope is still there."
Talks between Britain and the European Union on their future relationship are now less likely to start in October, the EU`s top negotiator has said, because of lack of progress on Brexit divorce issues so far, EU officials said.
The British and EU Brexit negotiators met on Monday, pledging to "get down to work" in a first full round of talks on Britain`s divorce terms from the European Union.
A month after a first meeting where the two exchanged gifts inspired by a shared passion for hillwalking and spoke of the mountain of complexity they must climb, the Frenchman will press Davis to agree to Britain covering substantial British financial commitments and offer more detail on other British proposals.
Brexit minister David Davis and the European Union`s French chief negotiator Michel Barnier will meet at the European Commission in Brussels.
The Conservatives now have only 317 MPs in the 650-seat House of Commons and need the support of the DUP`s 10 MPs to command a razor-thin majority.
June 19 is the first formal day of talks between Britain and the European Union (EU) about its withdrawal from the bloc.
EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier denied Thursday that the bloc's financial demands from Britain for leaving were "punishment" but warned against the "illusion" that Brexit would be painless.
Britain will begin Brexit by triggering Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty on March 29, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said on Monday.
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