Boris Johnson has met with the new President of the European commission Ursula von der Leyen over the next round of Brexit talks. This coming after the PM’s Brexit Bill cleared the House of Commons where it will now go through scrutiny by the House of Lords.
Von der Leyen said that: “The 2 sides should focus on mutual interests” and that both parties agreed that there could be common ground on the climate crisis, human rights and security. The British Prime Minister has made it clear that he does not want the UK to remain associated with the EU rules and regulations and that he was aiming for a fast Canada-style free trade agreement and would not be requesting an extension to the transition period.
In response to this the European Commission President said that such a timeframe was essentially impossible if Britain wanted a comprehensive agreement.
There is still work to be done however, in order to reach a comprehensive deal the two parties must agree on a number of issues all within 11 months if the country is to leave the European Union with a suitable deal.
With the uncertainty surrounding the EU Exit, the Chamber urges all businesses to get prepared for all eventualities, to do this please visit our dedicated “Is your Business Brexit Ready” page or contact our team of International Trade specialists on 01905 673613