Chapter 6: The Barnier method: Lessons learned from the EU’s institutional approach to the Brexit negotiations
Jun 17, 2020
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SUMMARY
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska and Nicolai von Ondarza turn the spotlight to the EU’s handling of the Brexit negotiations, particularly focusing on Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier’s role. The EU27 remained united throughout the negotiations – in fact, the ‘Barnier method’ actually strengthened their unity. How can this unity continue, especially in light of future political challenges, not least due to the COVID-19 crisis, that will surely impede it? Considering that the UK’s withdrawal from the Union is a first, this unprecedented exercise in EU institutional politics provides three valuable lessons for the EU’s external relations with third countries.
This chapter is part of the publication Towards an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible EU-UK partnership?, which examines the political, economic, social and institutional implications of the UK’s departure from the EU in different policy fields, as well as its impact on UK politics and EU integration. The contributions in this book, all by leading experts on Brexit, draw from discussions held in the Brexit Think Tank Group, which was set up by the EPC in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum. Through this format, the EPC facilitated a continuing exchange between the European Commission’s Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom and the policy community.
Read here by Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska and Nicolai von Ondarza
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska and Nicolai von Ondarza turn the spotlight to the EU’s handling of the Brexit negotiations, particularly focusing on Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier’s role. The EU27 remained united throughout the negotiations – in fact, the ‘Barnier method’ actually strengthened their unity. How can this unity continue, especially in light of future political challenges, not least due to the COVID-19 crisis, that will surely impede it? Considering that the UK’s withdrawal from the Union is a first, this unprecedented exercise in EU institutional politics provides three valuable lessons for the EU’s external relations with third countries.
This chapter is part of the publication Towards an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible EU-UK partnership?, which examines the political, economic, social and institutional implications of the UK’s departure from the EU in different policy fields, as well as its impact on UK politics and EU integration. The contributions in this book, all by leading experts on Brexit, draw from discussions held in the Brexit Think Tank Group, which was set up by the EPC in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum. Through this format, the EPC facilitated a continuing exchange between the European Commission’s Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom and the policy community.
Read here by Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska and Nicolai von Ondarza
