BRITAIN will steal a march over Brussels by tabling the full text for a free trade deal with the EU next week.
The UK’s chief negotiator David Frost will present Michel Barnier with a complete draft ahead of the second round of talks.
He is also set to put forward legal texts for a “suite” of separate deals. These will cover fisheries, aviation, energy, immigration, nuclear issues, asylum, and security.
The next round of trade negotiations will open in London on March 18.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said: “The UK expects to table a number of legal texts, including a draft free trade area, beforehand.”
British negotiators say they’ve learnt from Theresa May’s mistakes, when the EU got on the front foot by laying down its red lines early.
They want to dictate the tempo and challenge Michel Barnier to negotiate around it.
British negotiators say they’ve learnt from the mistakes of the Theresa May era, when the EU got on the front foot by laying down its red lines early.
They have also ditched the former PM’s failed divide and conquer tactics and are now focussing all their fire on Mr Barnier and his mandate.
Eurocrats said the first round of talks last week had gone better than expected despite the two sides clashing over key issues.
Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday: “We’re ready to negotiate a new partnership with the UK.”
