EU faces “cliff edge” on trade with UK – Barnier

The EU’s Chief Brexit negotiator says there’s a risk that the EU will not be able to negotiate a full trade deal with the UK by the end of the year.

Mr Barnier was speaking with EuroParlRadio's editor Karen Coleman in the European Parliament in Brussels where MEPs yesterday overwhelmingly endorsed the Brexit deal.

The UK will leave the EU on Friday night. But it will then enter a transition period until the end of the year. During that time the UK will continue to remain in the EU customs union and single market and pay monies due to the bloc.

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is insisting a trade agreement with the EU must be brokered by the end of the transition period.

However Michael Barnier told EuroParlRadio such a strategy was risky and that the EU is ready to prolong the trade negotiations if the UK agrees to an extension of the transition deadline.

Out words: any case 

Dur: 00:42