On the conclusion of the agreement
"The mandate of the 27 has been fulfilled, we have done all of what was requested. One thing is missing but it was not wanted by the British, it is an agreement on foreign policy, development, cooperation with Africa in particular. The British did not want to discuss this from the start, I regret that and I did not understand why because it was separate from trade and internal security. But it is important that we have a partnership framework with the United Kingdom, which is a large country, with a dynamic foreign policy, credible defense, a seat on the United Nations Security Council. There is another chapter that will have to be 'open later with other negotiators for that part. But for the rest, what was agreed, a balanced and fair trade agreement, an agreement on energy, on transport, on internal security, c 'is what we did. "
About the City and financial services
"They were not forgotten in the agreement, it was not planned to discuss them in this negotiation. There are procedures that we have used with all third countries that have financial services, and we will do the same thing unilaterally with the British in certain limited sectors, taking into account our interests and taking into account financial stability. And this stability is linked to the conditions that we need: supervision, regulation, respect for European rules. "
On the losers and winners of Brexit
"I still haven't understood the added value of Brexit, and for the UK and for us, I think it's lose / lose. We are cut off from a big country and this big country is left on its own . It affects the United Kingdom more obviously, there are more paperwork procedures, more constraints to trade, since it has chosen to leave this ecosystem that we are forming with other European countries. Between ourselves, we harmonize our borders, but there are controls with the UK now. The UK exports a lot more to us (50%) than Europe to the UK (8 or 10%). There are constraints but as Theresa May said "Brexit means Brexit".
On leaving the EU as seen by other countries
"I think everyone saw, during these long years of negotiations, that it was complicated and that it had a lot of serious and negative consequences that had not been mentioned during the Brexit campaign. had lies. Mr Farage and others lied, demagoguery I told them to their face when I met them. I don't think other countries want to do the same because they are educated Consequences. A country leaving the EU is possible, the EU is not a prison, you can leave it but you have to take responsibility. The British have to take their responsibilities because now Brexit is done ".
On the pandemic
"The EU reacted collectively, pooled vaccine orders. I think this pandemic shows that we have an interest in being together. Of course there are also lessons to be learned, but in economic terms we have reacted by 'unity with this budget over 7 years. For the first time, we are going to pool loans, and decide on a recovery plan of 750 billion euros, this is the first time ".
On his book of memories to be published in the spring
"I wanted to write what I was going through, make this journal public, the story of this negotiation, understand that it is more serious than the relationship between the United Kingdom and Europe, it poses questions to Europeans themselves themselves: why so many Britons voted against Europe? What does this popular feeling, this social anger mean? For us Europeans, the 27, we must listen, understand, respond? "
On his political future in France
"I just said something that surprised, maybe created an expectation, some hope. I remain a politician, I am not a super Brussels technocrat, I never have been. I remain a politician that I have been around for a very long time, and as long as I keep the same capacity for indignation and enthusiasm, the same energy, I will put this energy at the service of my country by coming back to France more daily.
I am very happy to find the French people who I missed, my country, and to use this energy in this country which needs it.
We will see.
This is not the time for individual adventures, when we see what is happening in this country with this crisis, the French expect something else in terms of the responsibility of politicians, it is time for collective work ".
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