02:44Former EU negotiator Michel Barnier said Brexit was a 'failure' that the EU had to learn from, speaking at a session of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday. Barnier voiced his warning before the formal ratification of the agreement.
"Why did 52 percent of the British vote against Europe? There are reasons for that: social anger and tension which existed in many regions in the UK, but also in many regions of the EU. Our duty is to listen and understand the feelings of the people, I repeat, the feelings of the people. And the feelings of the people, this social anger, shouldn't be confused with populism and we should do everything to respond to that in each of the member states and at the union level," said Barnier.
The post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed off by the UK at the end of 2020 and has since been implemented conditionally pending the approval from the EU parliament, with vote results expected on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also spoke at the session noting that there had been 'reluctance' among EU lawmakers as to whether it was 'right to ratify' the deal when 'existing commitments are not being respected by one side.'
She added that the bloc would continue working closely with the UK to solve the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Belgium: Brexit is 'failure' that EU has to learn from, Barnier tells European Parliament
Former EU negotiator Michel Barnier said Brexit was a 'failure' that the EU had to learn from, speaking at a session of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday. Barnier voiced his warning before the formal ratification of the agreement.
"Why did 52 percent of the British vote against Europe? There are reasons for that: social anger and tension which existed in many regions in the UK, but also in many regions of the EU. Our duty is to listen and understand the feelings of the people, I repeat, the feelings of the people. And the feelings of the people, this social anger, shouldn't be confused with populism and we should do everything to respond to that in each of the member states and at the union level," said Barnier.
The post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed off by the UK at the end of 2020 and has since been implemented conditionally pending the approval from the EU parliament, with vote results expected on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also spoke at the session noting that there had been 'reluctance' among EU lawmakers as to whether it was 'right to ratify' the deal when 'existing commitments are not being respected by one side.'
She added that the bloc would continue working closely with the UK to solve the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Former EU negotiator Michel Barnier said Brexit was a 'failure' that the EU had to learn from, speaking at a session of the European Parliament in Brussels on Monday. Barnier voiced his warning before the formal ratification of the agreement.
"Why did 52 percent of the British vote against Europe? There are reasons for that: social anger and tension which existed in many regions in the UK, but also in many regions of the EU. Our duty is to listen and understand the feelings of the people, I repeat, the feelings of the people. And the feelings of the people, this social anger, shouldn't be confused with populism and we should do everything to respond to that in each of the member states and at the union level," said Barnier.
The post-Brexit Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) was signed off by the UK at the end of 2020 and has since been implemented conditionally pending the approval from the EU parliament, with vote results expected on Wednesday.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also spoke at the session noting that there had been 'reluctance' among EU lawmakers as to whether it was 'right to ratify' the deal when 'existing commitments are not being respected by one side.'
She added that the bloc would continue working closely with the UK to solve the issue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.