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Brexit deal 'still possible, but more difficult' - Barnier Brexit: Narrow path to deal at EU summit, says Barnier
(about 3 hours later)
The EU's chief negotiator has said a Brexit deal could still be struck this week despite it becoming "more difficult" to reach an agreement. There is a "narrow path" to a Brexit deal this week, but the two sides have to agree the details by the end of Tuesday, the EU's negotiator has said.
Michel Barnier said it was "time to turn good intentions into legal text". Michel Barnier said it was "time to turn good intentions into legal text" if EU leaders were to back the terms of the UK's exit at a summit on Thursday.
Mr Barnier, who will update EU ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg later, has previously said "big gaps" remained between the UK and EU. As talks intensify, Boris Johnson has spoken to France's Emmanuel Macron.
The BBC's Adam Fleming said he understood the UK has shared a new text of its customs proposals with the EU. The BBC understands the two men agreed there was "positive momentum" but there were "many hurdles" left to overcome.
Discussions between officials aimed at settling the terms of the UK's withdrawal have intensified in recent days, with nearly 12 hours of talks on Monday. Our political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, said she understood the two leaders had agreed on the need to avoid any further delays if possible.
Hopes of a deal being agreed before the 31 October Brexit deadline were boosted after a meeting between Boris Johnson and his Irish counterpart last week. The PM has repeatedly said the UK will leave the EU on the 31 October deadline, but he is compelled, by law, to request an extension if no deal is in place by the end of Saturday.
Mr Johnson is trying to hold together a coalition of Conservative Brexiteers and Democratic Unionists in support of his proposed alternative to the Irish backstop - the arrangement designed to keep an open border in Ireland which has been rejected three times by MPs. After updating EU ministers, Mr Barnier signalled that he expected the UK to share the legal text of any proposed changes to the withdrawal agreement - previously rejected three times by MPs - within hours.
The DUP leader, Arlene Foster, had more than an hour of talks in Number 10 on Monday night with the Prime Minister discussing the ongoing Brexit talks. This is designed to give enough time for European capitals to study the precise wording ahead of the two-day summit of EU leaders starting on Thursday.
Speaking in Luxembourg on Tuesday morning, Mr Barnier said an agreement "will be more and more difficult but it is still possible this week". He said there was a "narrow path" to be trod between the EU's objective of protecting the single market and Mr Johnson's goal of keeping Northern Ireland in the UK's customs territory.
"Reaching an agreement is still possible but obviously any agreement must work for everyone - for all of the UK and the whole of the EU," he added. "It is high time to turn good intentions into legal text." While there had been progress in strengthening the role of Northern Ireland's political institutions in agreeing new regulatory arrangements, Mr Barnier said there was still a big disagreement about the inclusion of so-called "level playing field" provisions in the political declaration sketching out the two sides' future trade relationship.
These provisions would limit the UK's ability to diverge from the EU across a whole range of areas, including competition policy, employment rights, environmental standards and state aid.
The UK says loosening these conditions is vital if it is to have an independent trade policy, but the EU says the UK cannot have privileged access to the single market market without following its rules as this would give it an unfair advantage.
'Time restraints'
Asked whether it recognised talk of an EU deadline later on Tuesday, No 10 said Mr Johnson was "aware of the time restraints" and the UK was working hard to secure a deal "as soon as possible".
Mr Johnson is trying to hold together a coalition of Conservative Brexiteers and Democratic Unionists in support of his proposed alternative to the Irish backstop - the arrangement designed to keep an open border in Ireland.
The DUP leader, Arlene Foster, had more than an hour of talks in Downing Street on Monday night.
The Irish government has also said "significant progress" needs to be made" on Tuesday for there to be any chance of a Brexit deal by the weekend.
Ireland Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) Simon Coveney said Mr Barnier had made it clear there would be no haggling over the details of the text at the summit and the document had to be legally "watertight" and politically acceptable.
"If there is going to be a deal at this summit the task force and the British team need to finalise that text and today is a key day in terms of being able to do that in time," he said.
"It's clear big steps are needed to today to build on progress that has been slow."
But he also suggested the summit was not the final opportunity for a deal and the process could continue into the following week.
The UK's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said both sides needed to be given the "space" to work through their detailed discussions and a "deal was still possible".The UK's Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said both sides needed to be given the "space" to work through their detailed discussions and a "deal was still possible".
The two sides are in a race against the clock, with EU leaders wanting to sign off any agreement at a two-day summit starting on Thursday. Tuesday's scheduled cabinet meeting was postponed and is now likely to take place on Wednesday, with No 10 sources saying it is to allow for a fuller update on Brexit.
Finland's prime minister, Antti Rinne, who holds the EU's rotating presidency, said on Monday there was not enough time for a deal to be reached by then. The two-day EU summit is crucial because, under the Benn Act, the PM must get a new deal approved by MPs by Saturday if he is to avoid asking for a delay.
After meeting the European Council's president-elect Charles Michel, Mr Rinne said: "I think there is no time in a practical or legal way to find an agreement before the EU Council meeting. We need more time." Labour has threatened court action to force the PM to obey the legislation, amid speculation the PM could seek to sidestep it somehow.
Cabinet delayed Regardless of what happens in Brussels, a showdown is anticipated in an emergency sitting of Parliament on Saturday - the first in 37 years. MPs will be able to back or reject any deal presented to them, and there will be discussions on what to do next.
With talks in Brussels ongoing, a Cabinet meeting expected to take place on Tuesday has been postponed and is now likely to take place on Wednesday. Downing Street sources say it is to allow for a fuller update on Brexit. Ex-Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said while he hoped an agreement could be reached and the necessary legislation passed to implement it by 31 October, it would be "very difficult" given how little time was left.
The two-day EU summit is crucial because the prime minister must get a new deal approved by MPs by Saturday if he is to avoid asking for a Brexit delay.
The Benn Act passed by MPs opposed to no-deal says he must ask for an extension to the Brexit deadline if MPs do not back a deal by then.
However, Mr Johnson has repeatedly ruled out requesting such an extension, prompting speculation that he may seek to sidestep the legislation. Labour has threatened court action to force the PM to obey the legislation.
Regardless of what happens in Brussels, a showdown is anticipated in an emergency sitting of Parliament on Saturday - the first in 37 years.
MPs will be able to back or reject any deal presented to them, or there will be discussions on what to do next.
'Mood change'
Ex-foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said while he hoped an agreement could be reached and the necessary legislation passed to implement it by 31 October, it would be "very difficult" given how little time was left.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today that an extension of a "few days" might be acceptable to many Conservatives as it would make clear "the end was in sight".He told BBC Radio 4's Today that an extension of a "few days" might be acceptable to many Conservatives as it would make clear "the end was in sight".
But leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said legislation required to ratify any agreement would be "relatively easy to pass" if MPs agreed to a deal on Saturday. But Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg said legislation required to ratify any agreement would be "relatively easy to pass" if MPs agreed to a deal on Saturday.
He suggested the mood was changing in Parliament and after more than three years of disagreement and rancour "everyone is desperate to finish this".He suggested the mood was changing in Parliament and after more than three years of disagreement and rancour "everyone is desperate to finish this".
"The votes are now there for a deal," he said. "There is just a mood in the country that we want to get on with this and politicians have to be sensitive to that mood." "The votes are now there for a deal," he insisted. "There is just a mood in the country that we want to get on with this and politicians have to be sensitive to that mood."
He warned ex-Conservative MPs reportedly considering forcing the PM to ask for a delay in order to enshrine the withdrawal deal in law, saying they would be seen as blocking Brexit.
Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?Timeline: What's happening ahead of Brexit deadline?
Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.Thursday 17 October - Crucial two-day summit of EU leaders begins in Brussels. This is the last such meeting currently scheduled before the Brexit deadline.
Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by MPs and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.Saturday 19 October - Special sitting of Parliament and the date by which the PM must ask the EU for another delay to Brexit under the Benn Act, if no Brexit deal has been approved by MPs and they have not agreed to the UK leaving with no-deal.
Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is currently due to leave the EU.Thursday 31 October - Date by which the UK is currently due to leave the EU.