Michel Barnier, the EU's former chief Brexit negotiator, has said the United Kingdom could retain its special terms if it were to rejoin the European Union, including keeping the pound and remaining outside the Schengen travel area. In an interview ahead of the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum, Barnier said such opt-outs were 'perfectly possible' given existing precedents within the bloc.
Barnier's comments challenge suggestions from some EU figures, including Poland's foreign minister, that the UK might face more difficult terms on re-entry. He noted that several EU member states have not adopted the euro, and Ireland has an official opt-out from Schengen, indicating that similar arrangements could be negotiated for Britain.
The former French prime minister, who remains influential in Brussels, declined to speculate on whether the UK could also retain the rebate secured by Margaret Thatcher. He stated that any re-entry would be a matter for negotiation, adding: 'The DNA of the EU is solidarity... We will see if the UK decides to ask to join the EU.'
Barnier is due in London on Tuesday for a conference marking a decade since the Brexit vote. He reiterated his belief that leaving the EU was the wrong choice, arguing that while not all of the UK's problems are due to Brexit, they are made 'more difficult' by it. He also ruled out any flexibility on free movement, warning against giving 'arguments to the far right' in France or elsewhere.
