EU's Barnier says Brexit deal with Britain 'realistic' in 6-8 weeks
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told a forum in Slovenia on Monday that it was “realistic” to expect a divorce deal with Britain in six to eight weeks, the British embassy to Slovenia said on Twitter.
FILE PHOTO: European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier listens to a translation during a news conference in Brussels, Belgium July 26, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
“I think that if we are realistic we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of the negotiation, which is the Brexit treaty, within 6 or 8 weeks,” Barnier said, according to an excerpt broadcast by Sky News.
“Taking into account the time necessary for the ratification process, the House of Commons on one side, the European Parliament and the Council on the other side ... we must reach an agreement before the beginning of November. I think it is possible.”
Sterling jumped to a five-week high of $1.3052 on the report, up around 1 percent on the day, and rose around 0.5 percent against the euro.
Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Kevin Liffey
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