Britain hints at Brexit transition period workaround

[LONDON] Britain on Wednesday suggested it could come to piecemeal agreements with the European Union in post-Brexit trade talks, creating a barebones deal and avoiding any further extension requests.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson won a comfortable parliamentary majority in elections last month, which makes the passing of his Brexit deal with Brussels a virtual certainty.

That would see Britain leave the EU on January 31, kick-starting negotiations for a new trade deal before the end of the transition period on December 31.

Mr Johnson is adamant he will not ask for more time, and underlined the point to visiting European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Downing Street.

Ms Von der Leyen believes getting a comprehensive agreement is virtually impossible in such a short timeframe, given the length of time it has taken the EU to negotiate similar deals.

She warned Britain could end up with limited access to European markets without an extension but was determined to avoid a "hard exit", in which there is no agreement at all.

The prime minister's spokesman indicated Britain had a definite negotiating position already.

"We are very clear we want to get on in terms of negotiating a deal," he said.

"So, maybe the approach of nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, which characterised previous negotiations, is not an approach that we are interested in taking."

Both sides have to thrash out new arrangements on areas such as fishing, citizens' rights and security, as well as potential tariffs on British goods and ties to London's financial sector.

AFP