IT’S HIGHLY UNLIKELY UK WILL QUIT EU WITHOUT A DEAL SAYS FORMER BRUSSELS TRADE CHIEF
THE prospect of Britain quitting the EU without a trade deal remains “highly unlikely”, a Brussels veteran said yesterday.
Karel De Gucht, who was European Commissioner for trade between 2010 and 2014, predicted that at the very least a “very vague deal” will be agreed before exit day next March 29.
Mr De Gucht, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today, said: “In the end there will be a deal, whether this is a solution is quite a different question. I believe it will be a very vague deal and immediately afterwards start what is exactly in the agreement. Politically I think it’s highly unlikely that this process will end with a no-deal on March 29.”
The veteran Belgian politician said the transition period may have to be extended as what the UK was asking for in negotiations was contradictory.
He said: “They want to be out of the European Union, out of the internal market, no customs union but nevertheless they would like that the situation after March 29 to be largely similar to the present situation.”
The Belgian said these demands make the negotiation “extremely difficult”.
Meanwhile World Trade Organisation director general Roberto Azevedo said a no-deal Brexit would not “be the end of the world” but added it would not be “a walk in the park either”.
He challenged the view that the UK could begin seamlessly trading on WTO terms after March 29. He said: “It will be very ambitious to have that kind of outcome. It is very unlikely that you’re going to have 100 per cent agreed outcome for all World Trade Organisation members between now and March.”