EU chief doubts securing post- Brexit trade deal in 2020

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has expressed “serious concern” over whether the bloc could conclude a post-Brexit trade deal with Britain within the 2020 deadline. Britain is due to leave the European Union on January 31, but will remain in a transitional arrangement until the end of next year while negotiators debate future trade ties. Under the withdrawal agreement which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed with Europe but not yet pushed through parliament, the UK could ask for a one or two year extension. But Johnson insists he will not ask for more time and is preparing legislation to forbid such a move. In this case, negotiators will only have 11 months to conclude a trade agreement.

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