Draft treaty with EU could be published today ‘as deal nears’
UK has conceded customs border in Irish Sea to win an agreement, say reports
A DRAFT treaty with the EU could be published as early as this morning after the UK was reported to have agreed in principle that there will be a customs border in the Irish Sea.
Downing Street has said Brexit negotiations remain ongoing as reports suggested Boris Johnson was closing in on a new deal after giving significant ground to the EU over the Irish border.
The Guardian reported senior sources on both sides of the Channel saying a draft treaty could be published this morning.
But the PM’s official spokesman said: “Talks remain constructive but there is more work still to do.”
Downing Street sources were also downplaying the chances of a breakthrough being imminent and an EU official stressed “talks are ongoing”.
Meanwhile, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it remained uncertain whether a deal would be ready in time for the Brussels summit.
It comes as members of the European Research Group (ERG) – who have advocated a hard Brexit – were summoned to Downing Street last night, in what appeared to be a detailed briefing of the deal being discussed.
ERG Chairman Steve Baker said as he left Number 10 after 80 minutes that said that they did not meet the Prime Minister, and that he was “optimistic” a deal might be reached.
He told reporters: “We had very constructive talks with the Government, but there’s very little I can say.
“It wouldn’t be right to give you any details.
“It was a very constructive conversation, and I am optimistic that it is possible for us to reach a tolerable deal that I will be able to vote for.” Brexiteer MP Mark Francois said the meeting was “interesting” and added “there’ll be further chats to have” on Brexit.
The Government would still need to secure the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party before putting any deal to the House of Commons in what is expected to be a special sitting on Saturday.
Suggestions a deal was closing in came as Downing Street declined to recognise a midnight deadline apparently set by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
Mr Barnier warned Mr Johnson that “it is high time to turn good intentions into legal text”.
But the PM’s official spokesman said: “We are working hard. The Prime Minister is aware of the time constraints that we are under.”
Mr Johnson is set to update his Cabinet on Brexit this afternoon in order to give them the most up to date information on talks.
Downing Street officials are understood to have been meeting with various parliamentary factions in recent days as negotiators hammer out a deal.
Mr Barnier struck a positive note after meeting Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay at the General Affairs Council yesterday morning.
He debriefed EU27 ministers in Luxembourg before tweeting: “Talks are difficult but I believe an agreement is still possible.”
The latest comments came as negotiators stepped up efforts to work out a way to break the deadlock
over the Irish backstop, the contingency measure to prevent a hard border on the island.
Irish broadcaster RTE had reported that two sources confirmed that British negotiators were set to bring forward an updated plan yesterday to deal with the issue of customs and the Irish border. Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Coveney stressed “significant progress” would need to be made yesterday “if there is to be a deal that Michel Barnier can report on tomorrow to EU capitals in advance of the leaders’ summit”.