Michel Barnier accuses Britain of 'nostalgia' for benefits of EU membership in frosty press conference

• 'No decisive progress' on key issues, warns Barnier

• Barnier: I am not angry, but the clock is ticking

• Davis told 'you cannot control single market from outside EU'

• Davis denies he is 'nostalgic' for EU benefits

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator today accused Britain of “nostalgia” for membership of the bloc’s single market, suggesting it regretted its decision to leave the EU.

David Davis, Britain’s Brexit Secretary, immediately bit back during a joint press conference for the end of the third round of EU-UK negotiations in Brussels.

“I wouldn’t confuse a belief in the free market for nostalgia,” he told Michel Barnier as the two men stood at the podium in the headquarters of the European Commission.

Mr Barnier had said: “When I read some of the papers that David has sent me… I see a sort of nostalgia in the form of specific requests that would amount to enjoying the benefits of the single market without being part of it.

David Davis, U.K. exiting the European Union (EU) secretary, left, and Michel Barnier, chief negotiator for the European Union (EU),

“Maybe there is no nostalgia but Brexit means Brexit and leaving the single market means leaving the single market.”

The bad-tempered press conference came after four days of intense negotiations that brought little progress on the issues of Ireland, citizen’s rights and the financial settlement to leave the EU.

EU Brexit negotiators were left “flabbergasted” on Wednesday after their British counterparts launched a legal deconstruction of the so-called “Brexit bill” yesterday as the Brussels talks headed for an increasingly acrimonious impasse.

“EU taxpayers should not pay at 27 for obligations undertaken by 28 it would not be fair,” said Mr Barnier.

“In July, the UK recognised it has obligations beyond the Brexit date but this week the UK explained it felt its obligation were limited to the last payment of the current EU Budget.”

Mr Barnier said there were other financial commitments to countries such as Ukraine and to development in Africa, Gabon and the Pacific countries that went beyond the 2020 end of the current budget period.  

“After this week, it is clear that the UK does not feel legally obliged to honour these obligations after its departure.”

Mr Davis retorted: “The commission set out its position and we have a duty to our taxpayers to interrogate it vigorously.”

The EU has refused to talk about a future trade deal with the UK until it judges that “sufficient progress” is made on the three issues.

Mr Barnier was in no mood for détente. “There has been no decisive progress on any of the principle subjects,” he said in the packed press room.

He scolded, “Time is passing quickly and was short to start with.”

Asked why he looked so angry, Mr Barnier said, “"I am not angry, I am determined. 

"I think I have shown the typical calm of a mountaineer… If I ever truly get angry, you will notice it."

British Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (R) and Michel Barnier (C),

Mr Davis blamed the lack of progress on the inflexibility of the European Commission’s team of negotiators, who say they are bound by a mandate given to them by the remaining 27 member states.  That mandate prevents them from any talks about the UK’s future relationship until “sufficient progress” was made”.

“At the current state of progress, we are quite far to say that sufficient progress has taken place,” said Mr Barnier.

He also warned that the British plan to have EU standards cut and pasted into British law and then be automatically recognised by the EU were “impossible”.

Such mutual recognition of standards is vital for trade but Mr Barnier said that they could not be mirrored because the EU supervising and enforcement of them was crucial for the single market.

“The EU’s capacity to regulate, supervise and enforce out laws must not and will not be undermined by Brexit,” he said, “You cannot be outside the single market and shape its legal order.”

David Davis, left, and Michel Barnier

Mr Davis said: “We remain committed to making as much progress as possible on those issues that are solely related to our withdrawal, but our discussions this week have exposed yet again that the UK’s approach is substantially more flexible and pragmatic than that of the EU as it avoids unnecessary disruption for businesses and consumers. 

“We have proposed pragmatic solutions to prevent this disruption and we urge the EU to be more imaginative and flexible in their approach to withdrawal on this point.”

Mr Barnier issued a stern warning that attempts to go over the commission’s head and start talking to EU leaders directly about trade would fail.

“Those who seek to find the least difference between what this EU negotiating team is doing and that which tasked by the member states, those people are wasting their time if they seek one iota of difference,” he said.  

David Davis, left, and Michel Barnier

The former Commission Vice-President also took Britain to task over the erroneous sending of deportation letters to about 100 EU citizens.

“This is not the first time that something like this has happened,” he said before adding it proved that EU citizens’ rights in the UK needed to be guaranteed by the European Court of Justice, which is a red line for Britain.

The press conference after four days of intense negotiations was not the first time the two men crossed swords this week, as frustrations grew and a war of words broke out.

Mr Barnier was branded “ill-judged and unhelpful” after he accused Britain of ambiguity in the Brexit talks. He also suggested that Brexit would weaken Britain’s security and defence in an opinion piece published on the first day of the talks in Le Monde.

Days earlier, EU senior officials had accused the UK of “magical thinking” over Brexit and of using the Northern Ireland peace process as a bargaining chip.  Britain in turn said the EU failed to understand the “human cost” of the hard-won agreement.

Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also waded in, demanding that Britain shows its cards in talks over the so-called Brexit bill. Meanwhile the European Parliament's Brexit chief Guy Verhoftstadt  was accused of "going over his paygrade" after warning the talks could grind to a halt. 

“I never thought that these negotiations would be easy,” said Mr Barnier, “I always said would be complex and that Brexit will have many consequences.”

Mr Davis and Mr Barnier said there had been some positive progress on Ireland and the continuation of the European Health Insurance Card System.

12:28PM

Barnier: We can be flexible, but the principles must be agreed first 

Mr Barnier has just been given a grilling from one of our colleagues at the Sun. 

He is asked why the EU is being so inflexible and is that indeed stalling the talks. He asks why on earth Tony Blair has appeared for a meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker on the same day as today's press conference, and is that the EU seeking to undermine the government. 

Mr Barnier responds: "I said early on that the time tabling was short. We must agree on the principles of the big topics. I have been asked for flexibility, but you must start first with a clear position based on what the UK recognises as their legal and moral commitments. "

"All I can say is there has been a lack of progress, but a strong commitment from the UK to find a solution, We need to do that."

On the issue of imagination, Mr Barnier says "Everything is possible. But we have to find a solution where I can go back to the EU 27 and reassure them and then go forward."

He does not address the Tony Blair issue. 

12:23PM

Davis strikes back - 'don't confuse free market with nostalgia'

Mr Davis gives Mr Barnier a withering glance, and says: "I wouldn't confuse a belief in the free market for nostalgia."

12:21PM

Barnier claims UK trying to cling on to single market benefits

"I see a certain nostalgia in some requests from the UK which amount to enjoying the benefits of the single market," says Mr Barnier. 

"But Brexit means Brexit, leaving the single market means leaving the single market."

12:17PM

I am calm like a mountaineer, says Barnier

Asked  by a reporter why he is so angry all the time, Mr Barnier says "I am not angry, I am determined. 

"I am calm like a mountaineer. If I ever truly get angry, you will notice it."

12:16PM

"Our aim is clear, how we get there is less certain" - Barnier

Mr Davis says: "Michel referred to the issue of time. I have said from the beginning that some parts of this will be hard, because there are difference of view. But both sides, and this is very apparent this week, aim to get an outcome in the benefit of both the European Union and the United Kingdom."

Yet again he pushes for a more flexible approach to the talks where trade and the exit process can be discussed together, rather than one strictly before the other. 

He is then asked by a reporter about his approach of "constructive ambiguity," - a stance criticised by Mr Barnier. 

Mr Davis responds: "As I said, the papers don't always say this is one route to go. There is always one, two or three options. That gets us into trouble sometimes, being that open. But our intentions are crystal clear. How we get there is less certain."

12:12PM

We are more flexible than you, Davis tells Barnier

"We have a duty to interrogate rigorously" the financial settlement, adds Mr Davis. 

He says it is clear that there are "significant differences" to be bridged, though there has been good progress on Northern Ireland this week. 

He says there is a "high degree of convergence" on that key issue, and  a handful of others. 

"We have reached almost complete agreement on confidentiality requirements," he adds. 

As for Euratom, there has been some progress with more expected in the next round, he says.  

"Our approach is more flexible and pragmatic than the EU" he says, in a dig at Mr Barnier. 

12:10PM

David Davis - exit process and trade 'inextricably linked'

"Issues around our withdrawal and our future relationship are inextricably linked," says Mr Davis. 

He is referring to the EU's insistence that the three key issues of citizens rights, Ireland and the bill are partially agreed upon before the talks can move on to trade. This has been a major headache for the UK side. 

Mr Davis admits the talks have been "stressful" and that hard thinking and detailed thinking have been required on both sides. 

12:06PM

"Time is flying," warns Barnier (again)

"I always said this would not be easy. And that Brexit would have consequences," Mr Barnier adds.

"Now over the last few days I have seen there is a lot of commitment on both sides. But time is flying. On our side, we are prepared to step up and intensify the rhythm of the negotiations."

He then hands the floor over to David Davis. 

12:04PM

Barnier: UK thinks it is not legally obliged to pay Brexit bill

Mr Barnier is now addressing the issue of the financial settlement.

EU taxpayers should not take on the obligations of 27 member states when they were agreed by 28 member states, adds Mr Barnier. 

He says the EU has guaranteed, for example, long term loans to Ukraine through the EU development fund, and that the UK

"It is clear the UK does not feel legally obliged to honour these obligations," he says. 

12:02PM

Barnier: UK expectations on single market 'impossible' 

Switching into English, Mr Barnier says protecting the integrity of the single market is a core principle of his mandate. 

Mr Barnier says he respects the sovereign decision of the UK to leave, but adds that it is clear that the single market's ability to enforce EU law "must not be undermined by Brexit."

"The UK understands very well how it [the single market] works," he says. 

"The UK wants to take back control, adopt its own standards and regulations. Well, it also wants these standards recognised automatically in the EU. This is simply impossible."

The British government has said the UK will leave both the single market and the EU customs union when it quits the bloc in March 2019. 

11:59AM

Barnier: Don't underestimate European Parliament 

Mr Barnier says the European Commission is working on an "unprecedented" negotiation on the basis of a mandate fixed by the 27 heads of EU governments. 

"Please don't underestimate the role of the European parliament," he adds, referring to the fact that the parliament will have a veto on the final deal. 

He also warns that at this stage of the negotiations they seem far off making "sufficient progress" by October - the point at which it is hoped the talks will move on to trade. 

11:55AM

'No decisive progress on principal subjects' says Barnier

Mr Barnier says a number of "useful clarifications" were made this week, on the status of border workers, social security rights and also dealing with pending cases in the European Court of Justice. 

However, he says there has been "no decisive progress on the principal subjects."

11:54AM

They've arrived -Barnier is first up

"We have ended the third round, and I'd like to thank those two teams," says Mr Barnier. He praises their competence and deep commitment. 

He said he was initially concerned when they met on Monday. As time is "passing quickly" and was short to start with. 

"With every passing day we move closer to the date of departure for the UK," he warns. 

11:51AM

As Davis squares up to Barnier, Blair meets Juncker

Tony Blair, the former UK prime minister, has taken the rather audacious decision to meet with Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, on the closing day of the Brexit talks. 

In a brief photo call on Thursday morning, Mr Blair shook hands with Mr Juncker and accepted a kiss on the cheek. He was immediately accused of trying to upstage Mr Davis. 

 Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is welcomed by European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker

Mr Blair has been dubbed the "Remainiac-in-chief" due to his staunch opposition to Brexit and his vow to overturn the June 2016 referendum.