The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator wants to prevent Britain from getting a soft transitional deal that would allow single market access on easy terms once it has left the bloc. At a closed-door meeting in Brussels, Michel Barnier outlined his negotiating strategy to EU government officials for the first time. Described as technical seminar, the event on Tuesday lasted about three hours, and was attended by experts from 27 EU member states, but not the UK. The issue is likely to be a flashpoint in Brexit talks, with Luxembourg’s prime minister, Xavier Bettel, warning he would oppose an interim deal. His officials are mapping scenarios to look at the cost of different Brexit options for the UK and the EU.

Source: The Guardian November 29, 2016 21:02 UTC