The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator is coming to London next week to meet with the Brexit Secretary and discuss negotiations for the transition period.
David Davis will host Michel Barnier on Monday for lunch as the pair prepare to discuss issues such as the rights of EU nationals arriving in the UK during the transition period.
“Looking forward to welcoming Michel Barnier to London on Monday. Important next step in our work to build new partnership between UK and EU,” wrote Davis on Twitter.
Davis also hopes to have an agreement on a transition period in time for the summit in March but EU leaders have said concrete deals by this time are unlikely.
The European Council also plans to publish its guidelines in March on the future trading relationship but it is not yet clear what trading deal the UK wants.
“There is complete unanimity in the 27 member states and the commission to say that, yes, we have started talks on the transition period … but that will be included in the withdrawal agreement. The transition period will be part of the withdrawal agreement, it will not be a separate agreement,” said an official.
“The commission will … give a progress report on the state of play in March. If they can say there is progress made in that part of the negotiations, fine, but it will also say where we are in the withdrawal agreement and we all need to know where the UK is on the future relations.”
Brexit-related tensions remain high after a leaked Whitehall analysis suggested that Britain would be worse off following its departure from the EU – no matter which trading deal it pursued.
Theresa May is currently on a three-day visit in China where she is discussing future trade relations with the Chinese Prime Minister. She hopes to sign £9 billion worth of deals during her stay.