EU’s Barnier to brief envoys on Brexit talks on Monday – official

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will brief ambassadors from the bloc on Monday morning about the state of negotiations with Britain after the two sides agreed to keep talking in search of a trade agreement.

“EU Chief negotiator Michel Barnier will brief EU Ambassadors tomorrow at 8.30 a.m. on the state of play of EU-UK negotiations,” said Sebastian Fischer, an EU spokesman for Germany, which holds the bloc’s presidency, on Twitter.

“Ambassadors will then review the situation.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the president of the EU’s executive Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Sunday agreed to “go the extra mile” in coming days to reach agreement, despite missing their latest deadline to avert a turbulent exit for Britain from the EU’s orbit at the end of the month.

On Sunday, the 27 EU member states welcomed Sunday’s extension of UK trade talks and committed to taking “all the necessary steps” to put in place any deal reached by negotiators as soon as possible, according to a coordinated response described to Reuters.

“We welcome the update from the negotiations that progress has been made and that negotiations will continue. The next days will be important,” the 27 are due to say, according to diplomatic sources in the bloc’s hub Brussels.

“In case of a deal presented by the negotiator, the Council (representing member states) will examine the details of the deal without delay, and, subject to this examination, will take all necessary steps to ensure the agreement will enter into force as soon as possible.”

Reporting by Kate Abnett, Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsk; Andrew Cawthorne