‘Path to agreement’ over Brexit trade talks, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says

Von der Leyen said the path was 'very narrow' and fishing rights may never be resolved
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Ursula von der Leyen has hinted at a potential Brexit trade deal, saying there is a “path to an agreement now”.

The President of the EU Commission warned that the path was “very narrow” but it “is there” as talks on a possible deal continue in Brussels.

She told the European Parliament: “I cannot tell you whether there will be a deal or not. But I can tell you there is a path to an agreement now. 

"The path may be narrow but it is there. It is therefore our responsibility to continue trying. The good news is that we have found a way forward on most issues.”  

She said the two main issues that remain outstanding are the level playing field and fisheries.  

Ms von der Leyen warned that the discussion over fisheries was “very difficult” and that she currently could not say whether there would be a deal or not.

She added: "In all honesty, it sometimes feels that we will not be able to resolve this question.

"But we must continue to try to find a solution and it is the only responsible and right course of action."

She also said the negotiating teams were working “day and night” and sometimes “against all odds” to reach an agreement.

The UK's current trading arrangements with the EU expire at the end of the month, meaning any new deal would have to be in place by January 1.  

Talks on a possible deal have carried on, with the focus on the fine details on proposals to allow the UK to diverge from EU rules in future while accepting limited tariffs in appropriate areas.  

Mr Johnson has said that leaving without a free trade agreement still remains the "most likely outcome". But he has told Cabinet that he wanted a deal and will continue negotiations.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in