European Union Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier said on Feb 2 that the EU is willing to offer the United Kingdom a "highly ambitious trade deal" in the aftermath of Brexit if the UK agrees to fair and open competition and an agreement on fisheries.
Barnier laid out the EU's draft negotiation guidelines with the UK just three days after the UK formally left the EU on Friday. The two sides have now entered an 11-month transition period before they hope to reach a deal, notably a free-trade agreement, by Dec 31.
Draft guidelines to be submitted to the European Parliament on Wednesday and to be approved by the European Council cover the economic and security partnerships and institutional framework and governance of future partnership between the EU and the UK.
"We are ready to offer a highly ambitious trade deal as the central pillar of this partnership," Barnier told journalists.
Under the EU plan, the trade deal will include zero tariffs and zero quotas on all goods entering the EU's single market of 450 million people. It will also include an ambitious free trade agreement in services with sectoral coverage, from business services to telecommunications or environmental services.
"We are also looking to include digital trade, intellectual property and access to our respective public procurement markets," Barnier said.
Source: China Daily
