European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will call British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday afternoon to discuss negotiations for a post-Brexit trade deal, her spokesman said.
Britain left the EU in January and talks on protecting trade from possible quotas and tariffs are now in their final stretch before London’s transition out of the bloc is completed on Dec. 31.
Johnson said on Friday he hoped a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union could be agreed, but the country was well prepared if final-stage talks with the bloc did not succeed.
“I very much hope that we will (get a deal), and obviously that depends on our friends and partners across the Channel,” he told broadcasters.
“I think there is a deal to be done if they want to do. If not, the country is of course very, very well prepared and as I have said before, we can do very, very well on Australian terms.”
