EU Must Not ‘Punish’ UK and Damage Bloc in Brexit Talks, Demands France

The European Union (EU) should not push to “humiliate” or “punish” the UK in Brexit talks, as it could backfire and harm the bloc, a spokesman for French President Emmanuel Macron has said.

There is “no question of punishing anyone with regards to Brexit” Benjamin Griveaux insisted when queried on the hardline “punishment clause” in EU draft negotiation guidelines.

“We must never humiliate and never punish. That’d the worst thing that could happen and I think it would reinforce the anti-European sentiment in many countries where we have elections coming up in a year,” he told the Anglo-American Press Association of Paris.

The comments from the Macron ally come in stark contrast to the hardening stance of fellow Frenchman and EU Commission chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and reveal increasing division within the bloc over how to treat Brexit Britain.

Mr. Barnier said Monday the so-called transition period was “not a given” unless the UK bows to more EU demands, highlighting “substantial disagreement” and claiming not to “understand” the UK’s negotiating position.

EU Demands Unprecedented Powers to Punish Britain During Transition Period for ‘Misbehaviour’ https://t.co/SyiwSnjCTV

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 8, 2018

Earlier in the week, leaked EU documents showed how the bloc is moving to acquire unprecedented powers to punish Britain during the so-called Brexit ‘transition period’.

They want the ability to ground flights, suspend Single Market access, and impose trade tariffs on the country if it is perceived to have broken any rules during the two-year period.

Mr. Griveaux, however, said a punitive approach was “not the right strategy in the medium or long-term” and echoed Prime Minister Theresa May by insisting “Brexit means Brexit”.

However, he added that the EU had to be “firm” and ruled out “any cherry-picking [by the UK] ‘whereby we will exercise this freedom but not another’ is out of the question”.

He also pleaded with the UK to avoid exploiting emerging divisions between the remaining 26 member state as the nation pushes to secure the best possible post-Brexit trade deal.