Sir Jonathan Faull on Brexit negotiations

The European Commission’s most senior Brit, Sir Jonathan Faull, retired earlier this year after 38 years in the institution. “Brexit negotiations will be the harsh reality of diplomacy. Nobody should be surprised unless they were a bit deluded”, he commented in regards to the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

He added: “There is a narrative that if the EU doesn’t give Britain absolutely everything it wants then it is a punishment. This is absolutely not the case”.

Sir Jonathan spent most of his early Commission career in the Directorate General of Competition. He was the Commission’s Spokesman and Director General of Press and Communication, Director General of Justice and Home Affairs, Director General of Internal Market and Services and Director General of the Task Force on the British referendum on membership of the EU.

He will join Asia House corporate members on 18 September to give his views on the Brexit negotiations going forward.