Co-Chairman (Deputy Brendan Smith):

I have three brief questions. Can Mr. Timmermans clarify the Commission's intended negotiating approach? According to some reports, the British preference is to negotiate all strands at once and in parallel, while the Commission wishes to negotiate one strand at a time. If that is the case, how will this impasse be resolved? While we accept that the major Brexit-related decisions will be taken in Brussels by the European Council, with the input of the Commission, is it not the reality that we have seen in recent times when major crises have affected the European Union that much of the behind-the-scenes discussions were carried out in Berlin and Paris, sidelining the views and concerns of other member states?

We do not want to see a repeat of that. Can we be assured that the decisions will be taken by the 27 remaining states at Council level rather than behind the scenes in the capitals of some of the major member states?

On enlargement, Georgia, for example, has made huge strides in attempting to meet the necessary criteria for accession. Is there any environment within the Commission for enlargement with regard to the Ukraine-EU-Russia relationships? They are also critical. Obviously, we have seen difficulties there.