In looming shadows of no deal Brexit, EU, UK begin final talks

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By Aiyeku Timothy

Britain and the EU began their final hours of trade talks on Saturday, with a decision imminent on whether a post-Brexit deal is possible.

Both sides and their negotiators promised to take a final decision on Sunday as to whether there is still time to close the gap in expectations before Britain leaves the EU single market at the end of the year.

The final talks started in a Brussels conference centre from early afternoon with the Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit frontman, David Frost, and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, at the venue.

Britain had parted ways with the European Union on January 31 and the two sides have been discussing over a trade agreement as the days count down to the end of a post-Brexit transition.

Without a deal, Britain leaves the EU single market and customs union on December 31 and tariffs will be imposed on cross-Channel trade after a half-century of integration.

Johnson flew to Brussels this week for a working supper with Von der Leyen without any headway but both sides promised that Sunday, a decision would be made.

Johnson now says it is “very, very likely” that talks would fail, and on Saturday his government confirmed that patrol boats are on standby to protect British fisheries.

At Thursday’s EU summit, Von der Leyen told leaders of the 27 member states that the “probability of a no deal is higher than of a deal”.

Meanwhile, both leaders have instructed their negotiators to continue work, and Frost and Barnier will continue Brussels talks this weekend.

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