EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier speaking in Brussels - 20 Dec 2017
- We need time to establish an orderly withdrawal
- We are not at the end of the road for completing orderly withdrawal of UK from EU
- Transition period will enable UK to prepare; it will be part of UK's orderly withdrawal
- Any transition period has to safeguard EU's principles
- This will not be an 'a la carte' transition for Britain
- UK will keep all benefits of EU single market during transition period - as well as obligations
A lot of political talks to accompany the earlier statement that the Brexit transition period will end on 31 Dec 2020. That essentially would be the key message. But nothing to change the current plans as we haven't even gotten a glimpse of how the trade deal may look like yet - what more the complications that may arise.
Still early days it seems for trade talks. Brace yourselves, it's going to be a long 2018 (and 2019).
