Prague, Dec 14 (CTK) – The Czech Republic and the European Commission agree on the priorities for the Brexit talks, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after his meeting with EC’s negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier on Wednesday.
The most important is to preserve the EU’s all four freedoms, including the free movement of labour force, Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) added.
“We concur on this, fortunately. If Britain wants to have access to the joint market, it must be able to guarantee all fundamental freedoms, including the free movement of labour force,” Sobotka said.
He said he expected this condition to be part of the political assignment for the talks on Brexit, on which British citizens decided in a referendum in late June.
The European Council will be approving this assignment next spring.
“The mandate is approved unanimously, so we have a great chance to keep an eye on what will be included in it,” Sobotka said.
Experienced French politician and former EC commissioner Barnier has been the EC’s chief negotiator in charge of the preparation and conduct of negotiations with Britain under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on the European Union (TEU) since July.
He is visiting Prague within his tour of European capitals to find out the EU member states’ positions.
After Sobotka, Barnier will also meet Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (CSSD).
British PM Theresa May wants to launch the process of Britain’s departure from the EU in March 2017. In this case, the respective EU-Britain treaty might be completed in October 2018, Barnier said recently.
