M. Barnier: Johnson must respect the Brexit agreement to the fullest

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson must respect every aspect of the Brexit agreements, former European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier said on Tuesday.

Johnson and prominent members of Britain’s ruling Conservative Party have publicly called for the abolition or radical revision of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of agreements reached between the UK and the EU in 2019 to leave the country. block.

The protocol entered into force last year and was designed to prevent customs controls and make effective the operation of the land border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland, which is an EU member.

The protocol provides for controls on goods transported to Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom, which has provoked reactions from Northern Ireland trade unionists who claim to be a threat to the country’s position within the United Kingdom.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Tras and European Commission Vice President Maro Sefkovic held talks in London on Friday, but there seems to be no convergence in the gap between London and Brussels.

The UK government has also expressed dissatisfaction with the bilateral fisheries agreement included in the Exit Agreement, with the British fishing industry struggling to manage post-Brexit fishing permit disputes.

Speaking to CNBC exclusively on Monday ahead of the French presidential election, in which he supports center-right candidate Valerie Pecres, Barnier said the British prime minister should abide by the agreements reached with the European Union in order to maintain good relations between the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom. and France.