Michel Barnier, previous vice-president of the European Commission (EC) and former French minister, has actually been selected main conciliator in charge of leading the commission taskforce for the preparation and conduct of the settlements with the UK under Post 50 of the Treaty of the European Union (EU).
Barnier, who was chosen by EC president Jean-Claude Juncker, is understood in the accountancy world for initiating back in 2010 the EU audit reform which entered force in June of this year.
” Michel [Barnier] will have access to all Commission resources needed to perform his tasks. He will report straight to me, and I will invite him to notify frequently the College to keep my group abreast of the settlements. I make sure that he will measure up to this new challenge and help us to establish a new cooperation with the United Kingdom after it will have left the European Union,” Juncker said.Explaining the appointment the president of the EC mentioned Barnier was a skilled arbitrator with abundant experience in considerable policy areas pertinent to the settlements.” He has a substantial network of contacts in the capitals of all EU Member States and in the European Parliament, which I consider an essential ownership for this function, “Juncker said. Source