Mr. Pierre Moscovici:

On 12 October the chief negotiator visited Dublin to hear the Government's view of Article 50. He has clearly said that an agreement on an orderly exit is a prerequisite for a future partnership with the UK. What I meant to say, and what I said precisely, was purely logical. One cannot comment or speculate on the outcome of the negotiations before it has commenced. There will be no negotiation before the notification of Article 50. No more, no less. Everybody is free to discuss and nobody can forbid discussion but negotiating is quite different.

The Commission will defend the interests of the 27 member states - all of them and each of them. The Commission has the idea, as Madame May has said, that Brexit is Brexit. It means that when one is not a member of a club one does not have all the advantages that club members enjoy. We know that she chose not to stay in the internal market, which means that we will have to redefine a new co-operation in terms of trade and customs. This will have to be done in an orderly and timely manner. I cannot comment on the outcome and I do not want to create a worry. I commented on the framework, timing and legal constraints. It is clear that we will look for technical solutions to have swift procedures in order to continue trading and exchanging with the UK in the future. During the process the Commission will be treat with sensitively the relationship between Ireland and the UK and the specific situation of Northern Ireland. We will work hard to ensure that nothing is done to undermine the hard won peace generated by the Good Friday Agreement.