Sort a trading deal NOW, German bosses urge EU

GERMANY’S biggest companies will today demand that Britain is given a trade deal by Brussels as soon as possible to stop them losing out on business.

EU officials have threatened to stall discussions on a future trade agreement until Britain sets out how much it is willing to pay towards a £90billion ‘divorce bill’.

But in a sign that the EU will face a revolt unless it backs down, a trade body representing around 250 German firms, including Siemens, BMW, Volkswagen and E.On has called for both sides to get on with talks.

Ahead of a meeting tonight with Brexit minister Robin Walker in London, German Industry UK said it was pushing for us to be given tariff-free access to the single market.

Dr Bernd Atenstaedt, chairman of German Industry UK, told the Daily Mail: ‘We are concerned about the slow progress of the negotiations. We would like a speedy end to discussions and negotiations.

‘We do realise that it is not just the British Government, it is also Brussels.’

Mr Walker, who is a minister in the Department for Exiting the EU, said: ‘The UK and Germany are two of Europe’s biggest economies with strong trade links in both directions. So it is no surprise that the Government and German Industry UK’s positions on many of these key issues are almost as one – we both want to see that trading partnership thrive.’

Britain is Germany’s third largest export market after France and the US. Germany sells more cars to us than it does to any other country, with 810,000 exported last year.

Brexit talks turned nasty last month as the EU threatened to hold Britain to ransom unless it stumped up for the divorce bill.