STRASBOURG, France (Dispatches) -- The EU has hardened its position on Brexit trade talks after "unacceptable” comments by a British minister that risk undermining negotiations, the European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said.
Britain’s David Davis has caused alarm by saying a deal struck last Friday to agree separation arrangements and open talks on future relations was a "statement of intent” rather than "legally enforceable.”
Verhofstadt said that following Davis’ remarks made Sunday, EU leaders meeting for a summit this week would now insist on the divorce terms being legally binding.
"I have seen a hardening of the position of the council (EU leaders), and there will be a hardening position of the Parliament,” which will vote on a Brexit motion Wednesday, Verhofstadt told reporters at the Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
"It’s clear that the European Council will be more strict now in saying ... we want that these commitments are translated into legal texts before we make progress in the second phase.”
The European Parliament itself was now adding two amendments to a resolution it voted on Wednesday, including one that unusually mentions Davis by name and says his comments "risk to undermine the good faith that has been built during the negotiations.”
Davis Sunday told the BBC that Britain would not honor its 35-39 billion-pound ($47-52 billion) divorce bill as agreed under last week’s deal if it fails to secure a future EU trade agreement when it leaves in March 2019.
But the EU has said that while the text of Friday’s deal sealed by British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission Chief Jean-Claude Juncker is for now a "deal between gentlemen,” it will become legally binding as part of Britain’s withdrawal agreement.
Philippe Lamberts, the Green group’s representative in the European Parliament’s Brexit steering group, said Britain’s attitude now would hurt its bid to reach post-Brexit trade deals with other countries.
"How can Britain be taken seriously globally if it behaves like a gangster in its international relationships?” Lamberts said.
The EU negotiating guidelines that national leaders are set to adopt in Brussels Friday will say phase two talks can only start once the divorce commitments are "translated faithfully in legal terms,” according to a draft seen by AFP.