UK cannot 'cherry pick' EU single market deal, Barnier tells BBC

Michel Barnier has told the BBC that the UK would not be able to “cherry-pick” elements of the European Union’s single market under any deal to return to the bloc.

No cherry-picking in any future deal

Barnier said there would be “no cherry-picking” in an agreement covering a potential UK return to the EU. His remarks set out a clear condition on how such a deal would be approached: the UK could not select only the parts of the single market it wanted.

The comments focus on the terms of any future arrangement between the UK and the EU. They indicate that access to the single market, if discussed as part of a return deal, would not be treated as a menu of individual benefits.

What the remarks mean

Barnier’s statement highlights the importance of the single market in any debate about the UK’s relationship with the EU. It also makes clear that a potential agreement would not involve choosing isolated elements while leaving others aside.

For now, the central message is that any deal for the UK to return to the EU would not allow selective participation in the single market.