Brexit: EU's negotiator says deal needed by October 2018

I found this news article on the main page of the BBC News. It was the main story and was written regarding the idea that the UK will have to reach a Brexit deal with the European Union by October 2018, according to the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit.

Michel Barnier told a press conference on Tuesday that negotiations "would be shorter" than two years, because the proposed deal needed to be ratified.

He said a taskforce of 30 people had been set up to make sure the EU would "be ready" when Article 50 was called.

He warned against "cherry picking" on issues such as the single market.

Speaking at the press conference in Brussels, Mr Barnier said: "Time will be short. It is clear the period for actual negotiations will be shorter than two years.

"At the beginning, the two years included the time for the council to set guidelines and to authorise negotiations. At the end, the agreement must of course be approved by the Council and European Parliament. Finally the UK will have to approve the agreement - all within the two year period.

"All in all there will be less than 18 months to negotiate. That is short. Should the UK notify by the end of March as Prime Minister Theresa May said she would, it is safe to say negotiations could start a few weeks later and an article 50 reached by Oct 2018."

The chief negotiator said he had spent time speaking with members from all European states and the Brexit negotiations had been informed by four main principles.

These included the "determination for unity" and a pledge to not start negotiations before being notified of Article 50.

But he added: "Being a member of EU comes with rights and benefits. Third countries (non members as the UK will be after Brexit) can never have the same rights and benefits since they are not subject to the same obligations.

"The single market and its four freedoms (which includes freedom of movement) are indivisible. Cherry picking is not an option."

A former EU commissioner, Mr Barnier led the EU's banking reforms and was dubbed "the most dangerous man in Europe" by some in the financial services industry.

But after he championed capping bankers bonuses, he won respect as a tough but even-handed negotiator.

Mr Barnier has refused to take part in any pre-negotiations before Article 50 is triggered, but he did meet Brexit Secretary David Davis for coffee last month.

Speaking in November in Brussels, he said: "Don't ask me to tell you what will be at the end of the road, we haven't begun to walk yet."

\i decided on housing this story for my weekly news. because it is one that is now concerning not only the whole country, but also all the other countries which are part of the EU. The topic of the news article is one which I am interested in and can relate to as Britain leaving the EU can have an impact on me due to the idea that I am not British and the decisions of the government can have an impact on the decisions me and my family will have to make in the future. In addition, it relates to the representation of Britain.