British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that the U.K. must prepare for a no-deal split from the European Union, unless the bloc offers a "fundamental" change in its negotiations, AP reports.
What he's saying: "As far as I can see they have abandoned the idea of a free trade deal. ... Unless there is a fundamental change of approach we are going to go for the Australia solution," Johnson said, referencing Australia's lack of a substantive trade deal with the EU.
The state of play: Johnson gave the EU until Friday to strike a deal at the Brussels summit. Britain officially left the EU in January, but remains part of its economic bloc until the end of this year under a transition period.
- U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC, "There is a deal to be done but there needs to be flexibility on both sides."
- He added that negotiating issues remain specifically on EU boats' access to U.K. fishing waters and ensuring a "level playing field" for economic competition between Britain and the bloc.
Go deeper: The implications of a "no-deal" Brexit
