Europian commission head Jean Cloude juncker oppointed Veteran French politicial and form EU commissioner Michil Barnier.read more.

European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker
on Wednesday appointed veteran French
politician and former EU commissioner Michel
Barnier to lead the negotiations with Britain on
its exit from the bloc.
Britain's June 23 vote to quit the 28-nation
European Union shocked EU leaders who had bet
on a vote to remain but they have since rallied,
with France and the Commission leading
demands that negotiations should begin as soon
as possible.
"I am very glad that my friend Michel Barnier
accepted this important and challenging task. I
wanted an experienced politician for this difficult
job," Juncker said in a statement.
"I am sure that he will live up to this new
challenge and help us to develop a new
partnership with the United Kingdom" after it
becomes the first country to leave the EU.
Barnier held the key Commission financial
services portfolio from 2010 to 2014,
spearheading efforts to tame the eurozone debt
crisis which nearly brought down the single
currency project.
He was also central to efforts to save the EU's
stricken banks, laying down tough new rules to
police a new banking union system which often
put him at loggerheads with the City of London,
one of the world's top financial markets.
Jacques Lafitte of the Avisa investment advisory
group said the appointment sent a very clear
message of intent to Britain.
"After all these years that the City has
demonised Michel Barnier, often unjustly, the
Commission could not have sent a firmer
message to the English," Lafitte told AFP.
No rush to begin talks
New British Prime Minister Theresa May has
made clear London will not be rushed into the
Brexit talks which are widely expected to begin
early next year.
May insists she wants Britain to keep the fullest
access possible to the bloc's single market of
500 million people while at the same time having
the right to limit EU migrants, the key issue
which turned the referendum.
Juncker and EU leaders agree that close ties
with the world's fifth largest economy are in the
interests of both sides but they also insist they
will not accept limits on the free movement of
people, a core EU principle.
Juncker has repeatedly stressed the need to get
the talks underway as soon as possible so as to
end the uncertainty over both Britain's and the
bloc's future.
Barnier takes up his position on October 1 but
the Brexit talks can only begin once Britain
invokes Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, which
sets the clock ticking on two-years of divorce
talks.
If the talks fail to produce an agreement, Britain
will end up leaving the EU unceremoniously and
be treated as any other country under World
Trade Organization rules.
Barnier previously served as EU commissioner for
regional policy and had stints as both French
foreign and agriculture minister.
Barnier tweeted he was "honoured to be
entrusted UK negotiation by @JunckerEU and @
EU Commission. Rendez-vous for beginning of
demanding task on 1 October."
Juncker said Barnier was a "skilled negotiator
with rich experience in major policy areas
relevant to the negotiations (and) ... has an
extensive network of contacts."
"He will report directly to me and I will invite him
to brief regularly the (commissioners) to keep my
team abreast of the negotiations," he added.
(AFP)