EU warns it's 'too late' for Brexit trade deal

Prime minister Boris Johnson during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, on coronavirus (COVID-19). - Credit: PA

The EU has warned it may be “too late” to clinch a Brexit deal with Britain, adding that a “creative solution” was needed to avoid trade chaos.

An EU diplomat said the European parliament’s ratification process is already in doubt after negotiators missed a number of vital deadlines, an EU official has said.

Trade negotiations are expected to come to a climax this week ahead of a crunch EU summit on Thursday, however, some inside European circles are expecting talks to drag into early December.

The insider has said: “This will be tight and as the negotiations drag on we will maybe have to see that we find some creative solution but that is too early to discuss that at this stage.

“First let’s see whether we’ll have an agreement and if there is an agreement when there will be an agreement and then we take it from there.”

Brussels officials are hoping to nab a trade deal by October 31 to allow time for the ratification process.

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However, European Council officials have said they are willing to let talks run until December 10, leaving just six days to scrutinise and ratify the deal.

Preparations are being made for an emergency EU Parliament session between Christmas and New Year, when the institution is in recess, to rubber-stamp the Brexit trade deal before the end of the transition period.

This comes as the UK’s chief Brexit negotiator, Lord David Frost, said British delegates were working on a deal that is “compatible with our sovereignty and takes back control of our laws, our trade, and our waters. That has been our consistent position from the start and I will not be changing it.”