A presentation he gave to the European Council last month reveals the benefits of Norway- or Switzerland-type arrangements will be immediately off-limits to the UK, as Theresa May has refused to accept EU financial contributions or freedom of movement.
The Frenchman is pushing the UK towards a Canada or Japan-style trade deal as he believes this is the only option for Mrs May given her many Brexit red lines.
And there is no provision in the presentation for Britain to strike a bespoke deal with more advantages than any existing arrangement
The Prime Minister’s only other option could therefore be to leave with no deal and trade under World Trade Organisation rules.
Some EU leaders have pushed Mr Barnier to admit Britain could be offered a “tailor-made” deal with the UK. However, he continues to insist the key benefits demanded by British negotiators must be exchanged for financial contributions to the bloc.
But French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday toed the EU line on a bespoke deal for Britain.
At a joint summit with Theresa May, he piled conditions onto the Prime Minister that would go against her many negotiating red lines.
He told reporters: “I am here neither to punish nor to reward the UK.
“You want to accept a single market with finance being part of it? Be my guest, but that means financial contributions and accepting European jurisdiction.”
Mr Macron’s comments echoed Mr Barnier’s school of thought on Brexit.
Theresa May would prefer a Brexit deal that retains the best parts of Single Market and Customs Union membership, with key differences including restrictions on freedom of movement.
But Mr Barnier has said the UK cannot access the Single Market without accepting its rules, meaning a trade deal on goods is likely Mrs May’s only option.