" How do you manage Brexit at European Union level? The 27 of us defined a mandate that we gave to a representative, namely Michel Barnier, who is acting on behalf of the Commission, and we’re acting together and deciding together. So it was right and proper for us not to mention it in that format. It doesn’t concern Canada or Japan. We’re not going to wash our dirty linen in public"
https://uk.ambafrance.org/President-on-Brexit-We-re-ready-for-a-no-deal