EU's Barnier expects UK Brexit withdrawal deal to be 'respected' EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier says he expects the Brexit withdrawal agreement signed by Britain will be "respected", declining to comment on a UK newspaper report that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was looking for ways to avoid having checks on goods between Britain and Northern Ireland. Barnier is attending a meeting of EU ambassadors setting his negotiating mandate with Britain for talks on future relations. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES