Bruno Le Maire said Theresa May’s Brexit deal was “good news”, but warned the UK it would have to play by “all” European Union rules if it is to stay in the customs union after the divorce. He said the draft withdrawal agreement was a good development for both the French and the wider eurozone economy. Mr Le Maire told France 2 television: “This accord is good news. I think it will allow us Europeans and Great Britain to find a way out of the deadlock that is in the interests of all.”
He said: “If the UK stays in the customs union [as envisioned until an agreement on future trade is negotiated], we must be sure that Great Britain complies with all European rules. You cannot be outside the Union and be entitled to the same advantages as those who are inside the Union.”
France will ensure the “defence of French and European interests.” he warned.
The Brexit deal “cannot weaken our single market,” he stressed.
The bloc’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the British Government’s agreement on Wednesday to a draft treaty was a “decisive step” to ensuring a clean break with the bloc.
Mr Barnier explained how a so-called “backstop” protocol for Ireland, a major stumbling block in negotiations, would follow proposals made by Mrs May.
These will see the whole of the UK stay in a customs union with the EU if a better solution is not found by mid-2020 that would see trade flowing easily across Northern Ireland’s EU land border.
The withdrawal agreement will go to the European Council on November 25 at a specially arranged summit, before heading back to Parliament to be voted on by MPs.
Mrs May, however, already faces stiff opposition to the deal, suffering a huge blow to her authority on Thursday after a series of her ministers, including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, quit in protest at the draft agreement.