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Michel Barnier appointed to lead future negotiations with UK after Brexit

AFP
AFP

Michel Barnier has been put in charge of future negotiations with the UK after Brexit, Brussels has announced.

The EU's chief negotiator will head up a new "Task Force for Relations with the UK" that will be responsible for talks on the future relationship.

His team will also oversee the finishing the Article 50 process, and any required 'no-deal' preparation, a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Mr Barnier is widely seen in Brussels as having run a successful negotiation with the UK. As chief negotiator he kept member states on board with the EU's strategy, despite British attempts to sow division, by consulting widely and regularly.

Other members from the team that drew up the withdrawal agreement will also be involved in talks with the UK in the future. Sabine Weyand, Mr Barnier's deputy during Article 50 talks and the brains behind the Brexit deal, is now the official in charge of the Commission's trade department.

The Directorate-General for trade will be led by Phil Hogan, Ireland's EU commissioner who served as a political "attack dog" during Brexit negotiations.

Mr Barnier said on Tuesday that the new deal struck with Boris Johnson was "the only possible agreement" – though he had also said this about the previous treaty struck with Theresa May.

"The College of Commissioners has today decided to set up a ‘Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom' (UKTF) as part of the Commission's Secretariat-General," the Commission said in a statement.

"Michel Barnier has been appointed as Head of the Task Force. The UKTF will include the current TF50 ('Task Force for the Preparation and the Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU') and the Secretariat-General's ‘Brexit Preparedness' unit.

"The Task Force, just like TF50, will coordinate all the Commission's work on all strategic, operational, legal and financial issues related to Brexit. It will be in charge of the finalisation of the Article 50 negotiations, as well as the Commission's ‘no-deal' preparedness work and the future relationship negotiations with the UK."

The statement said the new grouping would operate under the direct authority of the President of the European Commission – currently Jean-Claude Juncker but soon to be Ursula von der Leyen.

"Once the Withdrawal Agreement is ratified by the UK Parliament, and the European Parliament has given its consent, the EU is ready to immediately kick off work leading to negotiations on our future relationship with the UK, in full respect of European Council guidelines," the statement continued.

"Michel Barnier will be supported by a Deputy Head of the Task Force, at Deputy Director-General level. Today's decision takes effect on 16 November 2019 – regardless of developments in the UK – and has been agreed in close coordination between President Juncker and President-elect Ursula von der Leyen."

Mr Barnier was himself seen as a potential candidate for European Commission president, but ultimately failed to get backing for the post.

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