Michel Barnier: UK cut out of EU defense decisions post Brexit ⋆ The Baltic Review

Saintixe

Cooperation between the EU and UK on defense along security matters would?, could? continue both at country to country level not forgetting NATO. But clearly, the relationship will be thinner, not deeper. For the special flavor, it reeks of past due date.
The British defense secretary will no longer take part in meetings about EU military matters while UK ambassadors will not be invited to attend EU security committee.
Britain “will not be able to take command of EU–led operations or lead EU battle groups” not will it be a member of the European Defense Agency or Europe police force. Thus Europol is now lost.
All of this had been widely reported by Remain, while Leave was busy in denial. Well, it may be EU will not get access to 5-eyes; but it seems it does not really care.
Thus quite interesting development this am.
Now ready to read the posts of this board

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:18 PM CET

Cheese eating surrender monkey

Of course, only sensible that you should look after your own defence, pay for yourself, and don’t ask for any help. As for NATO, well, that’s just having your cake, not paying for it, and eating it.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:18 PM CET

Polanyi

The headline and article is moronic tbh. Of course the UK will have no input post Brexit- the alternative would be to give a non-EU member a seat and/or vote in the European council…. I sincerley hope most Brexiteers aren’t stupid enough to think that was ever on the cards…. Does the UK have a seat in the US Congress or Senate just because they are allies?? Bizarre notion

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:26 PM CET

Anthony Chambers

Given that all those things are actually the UK contributing support to the EU, why would we be angry? It’s not free to supply all that security protection to the EU.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:31 PM CET

~_O_/~

Wouldn’t expect anything different. Why is this news?

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:31 PM CET

Marekbegood

When it comes to defense it the only aspect of this whole debacle that leans in favour of the British. The honest truth is we will rather have them close on security issues than UK that pays no attention to the security of our continent. When it comes to Europol apparently they account for for over 40% of the information shared in one way or the other among the member states, Mr Banier we can find a way to keep them close without them having a seat the table.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:32 PM CET

Lets Go Now

@ Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey … Well said .
This guy on a very regular basis seems to take a passion on telling all who will listen to him that the UK wont have this or the UK wont have that after Brexit . Depite ongoing talks etc. Or is it just like the remoaners … endless scare tactics?
Seems he is saying the EU will not enjoy access to our world class surveylance teams ,5 eyes etc . Wonder why ?
Seems a bit silly some of the stuff this guy is saying . We have had the No UK planes stuff ( so he thinks Spain and France will enjoy not having holiday makers spending cash in their countries ) now we have the No access to being privy to Security meeting etc .
This is of course all before anything has yet been finalised in the ongoing discussions
Mad …. quite mad in todays scary times of terrorism etc .. Silly silly man
Guess he

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:36 PM CET

sgu66

The story shows what is important to the EU; it is not to make things work, but to be seen to be the ones in charge. It is in all parties interests to have a solid strategic relationship, but it seems that the EU politicians prefer to play the game of highlighting why you can’t play with us, rather than highlighting the start of a beneficial agreement.

I truly hope the EU can move on from this position, otherwise what is the point in any future relationship. I wonder if at any stage they will also start to reflect on how the EU/UK relationship failed in the first place – or will they continue to be in denial about how their system failed in the first place?

Posted on 11/29/17 | 2:59 PM CET

Alison22

The real problems ALWAYS have their roots in Europe. Leave them to it !

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:05 PM CET

James

So, Barnier is basically repeating what home secretary Amber Rudd spelled out a full 6 months ago:

She added: “We are the largest contributor to Europol, so if we left Europol then we would take our information, this is in the legislation, with us.”

And this is an ardent remainer talking! Quite clearly…It is in the [UK] legislation….irrespective of what Barnier says or wishes, this particular well is drying up.

The EU will have no access post Brexit, and since the largest contribution of information comes from the UK, Europol will just have to accept a large drop in intelligence, just as EU citizens will have to accept a large drop in security.

Not such a big deal for the UK though.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:17 PM CET

Dee

Frankly my dear, we don’t give a damn.:)

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:21 PM CET

General M Barnier

Hu, miss quoted again. I said, “The UK must be made to PAY if it wants to defend the EU”.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:22 PM CET

General M Barnier

The EU needs to build a wall.
From Tallinn in the North to Odessa in the South

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:29 PM CET

cinceur

Ok, fair enough. Say good by to 40% of your intel. No cherry-picking.

Next time a rented van ploughs down dozens of Christmas shoppers, you can all rest assured that at least they died under the auspices of a ‘united EU-ropean front’.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:44 PM CET

Peter2

Only logical and right solution. A loss from EU point of view. A need for EU level defence, will weaken NATO in the long run, so who’s gaining? Not EU, not UK and certainly not US.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 3:58 PM CET

Jacques

This is excellent news.

@James
Britain had announced in September that it wanted a treaty to allow it to remain in Europol.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:08 PM CET

alan

Seems perfectly fair to me, lets just stick to meeting our NATO commitments

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:09 PM CET

wolfgang

The UK is very fortunate who should ensure all eu jobless, criminals, homeless, vagrants, treavellers and inhospitables, are deported pre-brexit. The end of the EAW and reinstatment of the law of Britains Magna Carta would I think be most welcome their.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:43 PM CET

Jack Boot

This man is full of bizarre logic.
First he says the UK should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the EU and then he says the UK will no longer welcome in Europol. And adds that the UK cannot be involved in the EU’s defense. Is this man also called “Which way Barnier”?
Does he want both ‘Cake’ and ‘No Cake’ ?

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:56 PM CET

Peter Ellis

@Saintixe

Um yeah we know. You don’t get to make decisions on UK military matters. Does that sound like something not worth the effort saying because it is so obvious? Agreed.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:57 PM CET

LionHeart

Does that mean Britain can bring its troops and hardware home from Eastern Europe and stop helping in the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean?
Then again its about time that Europe stopped relying on the UK and the US for its defence.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 4:57 PM CET

Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey

@Lets go Now

Apparently, these European fella’s hang around in bars and get others to buy their drinks!

Posted on 11/29/17 | 5:10 PM CET

dusty

I can fully understand the European thinking on the UK being involved in the defence of the union would interfere with their style of warfare and applaud their wisdom.
For more than a hundred years most European countries have tended to end a conflict by surrendering at the first convenient moment apart from Germany which has an unfortunate habit of losing and with Great Britain ever wishing to fight on the beaches and the bus stops never to surrender, would cause revolution when as winners the fearsome Europeans could not claim compensation from the loser’s, but were expected to help their adversary to regain peaceful and productive life.Its tough being British.

Posted on 11/29/17 | 5:43 PM CET