Mr. François Decoster:

We have a few British members in the ALDE group within the Committee of the Regions. Not only did they vote to remain, they campaigned to do so. What would make Brexit even worse would be to fail to prepare. I will give the committee an example where there is a denial about the need to prepare for Brexit. When I proposed to the regions, towns and territories represented at the Committee of the Regions the creation of an inter-regional study group, it was difficult to explain it to our British colleagues. There is a form of denial about whether this will happen but it has already happened. This is voted. What would make Brexit even worse now is to maintain this uncertainty about economic matters, relationships, border management and all of the other topics that are before us. It will be even more harmful if we do not prepare. I understand that our colleagues within the Committee of the Regions suffer from this perspective. We agree with them and we regret the vote, but it is no longer the time to regret the vote but to prepare completely for the future relationship. If we do not prepare, it will be even more harmful.