08.09.2020 - 16:41 [ Downing Street No. 10 - Gov.uk ]

Prime Minister‘s words on EU negotiations: 7 September 2020

We are now entering the final phase of our negotiations with the EU.

The EU have been very clear about the timetable. I am too. There needs to be an agreement with our European friends by the time of the European Council on 15 October if it’s going to be in force by the end of the year. So there is no sense in thinking about timelines that go beyond that point. If we can’t agree by then, then I do not see that there will be a free trade agreement between us, and we should both accept that and move on.

We will then have a trading arrangement with the EU like Australia’s.