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A post-Brexit trade and security deal could be sealed as early as this week after Boris Johnson made a key concession over the weekend, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has told the bloc’s ambassadors in Brussels. My colleague Daniel Boffey has the story here.
Related: Brexit trade deal possible within days after Johnson concession, says EU
Barnier said the prime minister’s acceptance of the need for a treaty-level mechanism to ensure fair competition as regulatory standards diverge over time had unlocked the talks. His comments came despite suggestions from Downing Street that a no-deal exit remains likely.
Barnier warned, however, that the negotiations on EU access to British fishing waters had gone backwards. The UK tabled a paper on fisheries Monday only to take it off the negotiating table on Thursday, he claimed.