Boris Johnson today faced a fresh warning that getting a comprehensive UK-EU trade deal by the end of the year was “unrealistic”.
Sweden’s foreign minister Ann Linde became the latest senior EU politician to cast doubt on whether a pact could be struck in such a short timescale.
“I’ve been a trade minister and I know how difficult it is to get deals. With the EU and Canada we had seven years of negotiations,” she told BBC’s Today programme.
“Of course, it’s easier when you already have been a member of the EU but still I think it’s unrealistic to have a full deal in just 11 months.”
However, she added: “Some deal can be done and I’m happy that finally the Withdrawal Agreement is in place.”
The Prime Minister has put into law that Britain will quit the transition period by the end of December.
However, a string of figures including the new European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier have warned of the difficulties in completing a full trade deal in less than a year.
