EU warns Britain against Brexit deal 'backtracking'
The European Union has warned Britain against "backtracking" on the promises delivered over the UK's divorce from the bloc.
Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday that "all our points of agreement are now closed," under the deal made by British Prime Minister Theresa May last week.
"We will be vigilant. We will not accept any backtracking from the UK," Barnier added.
The chief EU negotiator said there was "no possibility" that London and Brussels could conclude a free trade agreement by the time Britain leaves in March 2019.
The warning came after Britain's Brexit Minister David Davis said that the crucial deal between the EU and the UK on separation arrangements was a "statement of intent," rather than "legally enforceable.”
Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit coordinator, censured Davis for his comments and said his description of the agreement was “unacceptable,” adding that the deal was a "legally enforceable text."
Meanwhile, European Council President Donald Tusk also expressed alarm that completing a Brexit treaty and agreeing on future relations with Britain would be a "furious race against time.”
Tusk noted that the EU states would have to stick together to avoid economic disruption.
The EU-UK agreement on December 8 paved the way for the beginning of the second phase of negotiations of that deal with financial and security matters.
An EU summit starting Thursday must approve the Brexit agreement for the negotiations to move on to the next phase, and the parliament also has to back the overall agreement for Britain to leave the EU on March 29, 2019.
Over 300 Arab figures urge British FM apology over Gaza genocide denial
Thousands rally in London against far-right racism
'Unprecedented criminalization' of pro-Palestine activists in UK raises alarm
UNRWA warns of humanitarian collapse in Gaza
'Hello my enemies': Lebanese journalist on Israeli threats and his resolve to continue
Outrage in France as MP proposes bill to ban criticism of Israel
VIDEO | The strategy of Hezbollah in war
Israeli military withdraws several brigades from southern Lebanon: Report
48-year-old Palestinian man serving 48 life terms completes 22 years in Israeli jails
From MKO to Tondar, how Germany became safe haven for anti-Iran terror groups
Hamas open to any proposal aiming to end Gaza war: Hamdan
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
