Ursula Von der Leyen ‘convinced’ EU and UK can still reach trade deal
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The president of the European Commission on Thursday said she was convinced a trade deal with the UK was still possible despite the “distraction” caused by Boris Johnson’s move to violate the Brexit withdrawal treaty, The Financial Times reports.
Ursula von der Leyen said Britain’s decision to pursue legislation overriding elements of the withdrawal agreement had come as a “very unpleasant surprise” to the EU and that it was down to London to restore trust and remove the question mark it had put over the treaty.
But she said that EU-UK talks should continue, with the dispute kept at arm’s length from the sides’ future relationship negotiations, which centre on a trade deal. “I am still convinced it can be done,” Ms von der Leyen said in an interview. “It is better not to have this distraction questioning an existing international agreement that we have, but to focus on getting this deal done, this agreement done — and time is short.”
On Thursday reports said that the European Union’s Brexit negotiator told the bloc’s 27 national envoys to Brussels that he still hoped a trade deal with Britain was possible, stressing that the coming days would be decisive, diplomatic sources with the bloc told Reuters.
Michel Barnier addressed the gathering on Wednesday and the three sources either participated in the discussion behind closed doors or were briefed on its content.
“Barnier still believes a deal is possible though the next days are key,” said one of the EU diplomatic sources.
A second diplomat, asked what Barnier said on Wednesday and whether there was still a chance for a new agreement with the UK, said: “The hope is still there.”
