Mr Barnier sees the vast differences in bargaining power between the UK and the EU

The differences in the bargaining power between the European Union and the United Kingdom is still large. That has the chief negotiator on behalf of the EU, Michel Barnier, on Thursday, said at a press conference after the first round of negotiations on the future relationship between the two parties.

mr Barnier, who was in the Brexit negotiations on behalf of the EU, had called the four main differences between the two parties.

The biggest difference is going to be about how to keep a level playing field between the two. The EU wants the UK in the future continue to keep to the Eu rules on state aid, working conditions, environmental standards and tax regulations. This is the will of Brussels to prevent the British or European companies and the way to be able to compete. The British people are not keen on it, they say, just come out of the EU to be stepped up in order to be independent of rules to be able to control.

the Other great things that mr Barnier mentioned the future role of the European Court of justice in the united kingdom, and the magnitude of a potential trade agreement, and agreements on fisheries. Especially the latter is a real problem for countries such as the Netherlands. European fishermen to collect a large part of their catches in British waters, but no agreement on that, they should, that the waters no more.

at The press conference of mr Barnier just goes to show how difficult it will be to get to the end of the year to trade to. If that does not work, there is still a potential no-deal scenario, in which the British people continue to go without the trade agreements with the EU, and will have to rely on the rules of the world trade organization. That would mean that there will be barriers to trade have been raised with me.