What the EU still wants from the Brexit talks

There is a tonne of contradictory stuff flying around about what Michel Barnier says is the EU’s bottom line for fair competition in any free trade agreement with the UK. As I understand it, what follows is the EU’s position.

For the ‘level playing field commitments’ there should be ‘non-regression’ — i.e. on standards for working practices, environmental rules etc., the UK must stick to current EU rules and subject to tests. There would be a risk of legal challenge if there is a perceived breach of the obligations. And the non-regression rules apply to the EU as well as to the UK. They are mutual symmetrical obligations in that sense.

The requirements not to give unfair subsidies to businesses — the state aid rules — are different, and more complicated, because subsidies to businesses given out of EU funds (as opposed to national funds) are not subject to state aid rules.