UK minister: EU commission criticism of Brexit talks was 'silly'

World
Europe

Britain's chief Brexit negotiator David Davis said on Sunday the European Union had made itself look silly by criticizing the British approach to the talks that Brussels said had made little progress.

"Bluntly, I think it looked a bit silly, because there plainly were things that we've achieved," Davis told the BBC.

"The commission puts itself in a silly position if it says nothing has been done."

British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Brexit Minister) David Davis (L) and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier leave after addressing media representatives at the European Union Commission Headquarters in Brussels on August 31, 2017. /AFP Photo

He also said it was likely Britain would continue to pay some money into the EU budget after Brexit, but that the sums would not be large over the medium to long term.

Davis’s remarks followed a bruising press conference on Thursday in Brussels after the latest round of talks with the EU, where EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said there had been “no concrete progress” in the third round of Brexit talks, and that opening talks on the two sides’ future ties in October was doubtful at the current pace.

Barnier scolded London for demanding the “impossible” – including having a say on the EU’s single market rules while being outside of it – in a series of position papers the British government released last week.

Brexit talks have resumed in Brussels more than a year after Britons narrowly voted in a national referendum to leave the EU. Despite both the EU and Britain being on a short deadline to deliver a deal, the talks have seen a slow start.

Source(s): Reuters