October Is Moment of Truth for U.K. Deal, EU’s Barnier Says
- Leaders want to approve draft agreement at summit after summer
- Chief negotiator Barnier says level playing field not for sale
Michel Barnier
Photographer: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The “moment of truth” for a trade deal between the U.K. and European Union will come in October when the bloc’s 27 leaders hold a summit and want to see a draft agreement, chief negotiator Michel Barnier said.
That will allow time for countries to ratify any deal before the U.K.’s transition period expires at the end of the year, Barnier said at a European Policy Centre video conference in Brussels on Wednesday.