EU’s Tusk: We studied the Chequers proposals in all seriousness

Below are the key quotes from the European Council President Donald Tusk’s recently published statement on the Brexit negotiations.

• The European Union and its leaders fully respect the UK’s decision expressed in the referendum on leaving the EU. 
• We studied the Chequers proposals in all seriousness. The results of our analysis have been known to the British side in every detail for many weeks.
• The UK stance presented just before and during the Salzburg meeting was surprisingly tough and in fact uncompromising.
• The response of the EU27 leaders was to reiterate our trust in chief negotiator Michel Barnier and to reiterate our position on the integrity of the Single Market and the Irish backstop. 
• While understanding the logic of the negotiations, I remain convinced that a compromise, good for all, is still possible.