Merkel Says U.K. Must Observe Four Freedoms in EU Unity Call
- Otherwise U.K. will have to ‘settle for less’ than full access
- German chancellor flags election-year themes in Cologne speech
German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at the annual meeting of the German Civil Service Association in Cologne, Germany, on Jan. 9, 2017.
Photographer: Oliver Berg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded that the U.K. adhere to European Union rules on freedom of movement in return for market access as she called on EU member states to stand strong in the face of global challenges.
In her first policy speech of an election year, the German leader laid down her demands as U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s government prepares the country’s exit process, set to begin by the end of March. Aiming to maintain “good relations” with Britain doesn’t mean caving in once Brexit talks get under way, Merkel said.