Michel Barnier, the EU negotiator for the orderly exit of the United Kingdom, expressed optimism about the outcome of discussions with the British government in a series of interviews with European newspapers published this weekend.
The negotiator asserted that since "the very significant negative vote in January, it seems to me that things have moved", he told the newspaper Les Echos. "I think there is a way for the British to be able to vote by March 12 with guarantees of our good will. It will then be up to them to take responsibility," continued the former European Commissioner.
Michel Barnier and his team have been meeting with British negotiators for several weeks. On Tuesday 5 March, Michel Barnier will again welcome the Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox, and the British Secretary of State for Brexit, Stephen Barclay, the European Commission confirmed on Monday 4 March. Discussions are still focused on the legal guarantees that the EU can give to the UK government to reinforce the temporary nature of the safety net for Ireland and Northern Ireland.
British MEPs will be asked to vote again on the negotiations with the EU on 12 March. In these interviews, Michel Barnier also observed that, given the timetable, a technical extension of a few weeks will be inevitable if ratified on 12 March, as the British Parliament cannot adopt all the relevant legislation in time for 29 March, the start date for Brexit. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)