EU's Barnier 'worried' by UK stance on Ireland

BRUSSELS: The EU's chief Brexit negotiator said Thursday he is ready to speed up talks with Britain on its exit from the bloc as he voiced concern about progress and London's proposal for the border with Ireland.
"Given the passing time, and this passing time worries me, I am ready to accelerate, to intensify the rhythm of talks," Michel Barnier told a press conference.
Britain is on a countdown to leave the EU by the end of March 2019, following last year's shock referendum vote.
Barnier spoke as his negotiation team published a combative paper on the future of Northern Ireland and its border with the EU-member Republic of Ireland.
In its new position, Brussels stipulated that the solution for the Irish border problem is strictly Britain's responsiblity.
But Barnier said: "What I see in the UK's paper on Ireland and Northern Ireland worries me.
"The UK wants to use Ireland as a kind of test case for the future EU-UK customs relations. This will not happen," he said.
Barnier accused the UK, which wanted to "suspend the application of its laws, its customs union and single market at what would be a new external border for the EU".
London says the issue of how goods and people will move across the frontier cannot be separated from discussion about wider customs arrangements between Britain and the European Union.
This argument was laid out in a position paper on the Irish border issue published in the run-up to a new round of negotiations in Brussels last month.
Barnier renewed his remarks that Ireland's interests are part and parcel of the remaining 27 EU member states.
Ireland has welcomed Britain's commitment to upholding the Northern Ireland peace process and retaining freedom of movement across the border but warned it would not be "used as a pawn" in the larger talks.
People and goods currently move freely across the Irish border but there are concerns that, as Britain's only land frontier with the EU, this cannot be sustained after Brexit in March 2019.
In a positive sign for Britain, the EU published four other papers including several that projected the UK's trade relations with Europe after Brexit.
Until now the EU has refused to broach any aspect of the future trade relationship until Brexit talks had achieved sufficient progress on citizen's rights, the Irish border and the UK's financial bill to leave the EU.
But British media quickly took umbrage at the EU's demand that Britain recognise products such as Champagne, Parmesan and Beaufort cheese after Brexit, a key component of all EU trade deals.
Europe has long drawn the ridicule of anti-EU campaigners in the UK for its fierce protection of over 3,000 food and drink products that also include English cheddar and Stilton blue cheese.
Another paper warned that Britain must continue to uphold European standards on data protection, or destroy all EU data stored before Brexit. — AFP