The prime minister of France and the president of the European commission have warned Britain that the terms of any Brexit deal cannot be superior to full membership.



Bernard Cazeneuve, who worked closely with Theresa May as French interior minister before becoming the premier in December, stood beside Jean-Claude Juncker as he said there was a strong will to defend the interests of the EU.

In a sign of the determination among many key actors to ensure other member states were deterred from seeking a future outside the bloc, Cazeneuve said: “We must make sure a country that is leaving should not have better treatment than those staying.

“We must first discuss the conditions in which the exit will take place and to do it within the time allowed for negotiation, without wasting time.”

At a press conference during a visit to Brussels, he suggested he feared that the delay in triggering article 50 negotiations had left little time for the May government to strike a positive deal for the UK.

“We have to follow the timescale. We seem to be losing time and have strong will to make sure the interests of the EU are defended,” said Cazeneuve.

May is expected to trigger article 50 on 9 March at a meeting of the European council, almost nine months after the UK voted in favour of leaving the EU.

Juncker said: “We have been talking about the consequences of Brexit … so that we can agree on a key aspect.

“We have to consider that the treatment offered to the UK shouldn’t be as favourable as the treatment that is offered to member states.

“If a member state wants to leave, the relationship has to be established accordingly. Relationships have to be different. This is going to be decisive for negotiation in the future.”

It is understood that Cazeneuve holds May in high regard and believes she will be a formidable negotiator. One source close to the French prime minister said Cazeneuve believed his British counterpart was a “serious and competent” politician, with whom he had worked well with in the past, including on ongoing refugee and migrant issues at Calais.

Cazenueve is scheduled to visit London on the 17 February. It is, however, probable that he will lose his post as prime minister in the coming French elections.