The European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that talks on the future EU-UK relationship are at a “moment of truth” and there remain only “a few useful hours” for a deal to take effect by January 1, Euronews reports.
Addressing the European Parliament on Friday morning he cautioned MEP’s , “We are at a moment of truth. We have very little time left, a few useful hours in this negotiation if we want this accord to come into effect on January 1,” the Frenchman told MEPs.
“I cannot tell you what will be the outcome of this final push in the negotiation. That’s why we must be ready for all scenarios,” he added.
The post-Brexit transition period expires on December 31 and with major sticking points still to be resolved, even Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted that things were looking difficult. He had spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and told her that the EU needed to make a significant shift before the UK could agree a deal.
