On Saturday 1 October, the former European commissioner for the single market and financial services, Michel Barnier, will officially take up his duties as negotiator-in-chief of the European Commission in the framework of the forthcoming negotiations on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
The politician, who is already adviser to Commission President Juncker on defence issues, will have the grade of director-general of the Commission. To be based in Brussels, he will have a small team and network of contacts in all the Directorates General of the Commission, the institution's spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, explained.
Barnier will begin his work by holding consultations with the member states and the European Parliament, although he has already made a start, travelling to Germany on Thursday 29 September to meet figures such as the foreign minister.
The Council of the EU has also appointed its negotiator, Didier Seeuws, former head of cabinet of former European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy (see EUROPE 11586). The Council will decide on the political orientations and provide guidelines for the Commission, which will be responsible for negotiating with London, Schinas explained. The European Parliament has also appointed its negotiator: Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium).
Until the UK has triggered Article 50 of the Treaty, negotiations on a country of the EU leaving may not officially begin. President of the European Council Donald Tusk said in Bratislava in mid-September that the British government could officially apply to leave the EU in January or February 2017 (see EUROPE 11626). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)