Sigmar Gabriel with Angela Merkel

German vice-chancellor warns EU could “go down the drain” because of Brexit

Written by Joseph Nordqvist

Published: 00:04, August 29, 2016

The German vice-chancellor warned that the European Union would go down the drain if Brexit isn’t handled carefully.

Sigman Gabriel said that the bloc’s future depends on how well UK negotiations to leave the EU are handled. Mr Gabriel said that the UK should not be able to keep the nice things about the block while taking no responsibility.

Sigmar Gabriel with Angela Merkel
Sigmar Gabriel with Angela Merkel.

Mr Gabriel also expressed concern about other member states following the UK’s lead.

The world already views Europe as an unstable continent, Mr Gabriel recently told a news conference.

“Brexit is bad but it won’t hurt us as much economically as some fear – it’s more of a psychological problem and it’s a huge problem politically,” he said.

“If we organise Brexit in the wrong way, then we’ll be in deep trouble, so now we need to make sure that we don’t allow Britain to keep the nice things, so to speak, related to Europe while taking no responsibility.”

UK prime minister Theresa May urging government to get on with Brexit.

A Downing Street source told The Telegraph: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that the Government will deliver on the Brexit vote and make a success of it. Those are the marching orders and the civil service will be expected to deliver.”

Access to single market on a “sector by sector basis”?

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond is reportedly seeking access to the single market on a sector by sector basis, with the financial services industry being one of the top priorities.

Joseph Nordqvist Avatar

Other News

Cart reminder timing is linked to different shopper responses

Nov 12, 2026

AI labels changed how consumers judged food images in three experiments

Nov 12, 2026

Shared AI tools were linked to higher sales for small online sellers

Nov 12, 2026

An image ad people like may not be the one they remember

Nov 12, 2026

Upfront rental prices changed competition as nightly rates rose in a study

Nov 12, 2026

Showing payment options earlier can influence online purchase decisions

Nov 11, 2026

Cash-back offers for positive reviews brought more responses but fewer repeat purchases

Nov 11, 2026

Turning a free business service into a paid one is harder than changing the price

Nov 11, 2026

Small businesses that sought customer feedback reported higher revenue in Rwanda experiment

Nov 11, 2026

Checkbox coupons were less effective than direct discounts in an online shopping experiment

Nov 11, 2026

The way online reviews are organized can make them more useful to shoppers

Nov 11, 2026

AI feedback helped some customer service agents in a workplace study

Nov 11, 2026

In-store screens can increase purchases of advertised products, retail study finds

Nov 11, 2026

A loyalty campaign can lose sales when stores struggle to carry it out

Nov 10, 2026

Offering a choice of discounts can sometimes reduce purchases, study finds

Nov 10, 2026

A fee to place a bid can lift a seller’s profit, but the effect may fade

Nov 10, 2026

Experiences can make loyalty rewards more engaging, retail research finds

Nov 10, 2026

Most emerging-market firms in an IFC survey use AI, but few have embedded it across core operations

Nov 10, 2026

Startups given examples of AI workflows found more uses for the technology

Nov 9, 2026

Showing product costs can change how shoppers judge a brand’s motives

Nov 9, 2026