The announcement is evidence of some much-needed goodwill as the sides seem deadlocked on fishing rights, state aid rules and enforcement.

It effectively means all the ‚loose ends‘ left to be resolved after the divorce agreement are tied up.

However, the broader standoff shows little sign of easing ahead of a crucial face-to-face meeting between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen, with the EU trolling that it is ready to negotiate again next year after no deal chaos.