LONDON (Reuters) - British and European Union negotiators are “closing in on workable solutions” to the outstanding issues in Brexit talks, Britain’s Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” Raab said.

“Looking ahead, we agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday, and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.” </s> Dominic Raab has surprised EU officials and diplomats by optimistically claiming the Brexit talks are “closing in�? on a solution to the Irish border problem, following a 30-minute telephone conversation with Michel Barnier.

In an an article on Thursday, in which he had threatened to withhold the UK’s £39bn divorce bill, the British cabinet minister had told how he was looking forward to continuing negotiations with Barnier the following day.

In reality, the two men had a call that lasted about 30 minutes on Friday, sources said. EU diplomats in Brussels also expressed astonishment at the sunny outlook offered by the British cabinet minister over the state of the negotiations.

In a statement issued after the call, Raab said: “This morning, I had an extended phone call with Michel Barnier. We discussed the latest progress our teams have made on the withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the withdrawal agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship.�?

EU diplomats suggested that in reality there was a complete impasse on the most difficult issue of finding a backstop solution that will ensure a lack of hard border on the island of Ireland, whatever the outcome of the future trade negotiations.

In a tweet that hinted at the lack of movement, Barnier said:

Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) Useful dialogue w/ @DominicRaab this morning on the progress our teams have made this week on the #Brexit WA. But substantive differences remain on the Protocol for IE/NI, governance and GIs. We are also continuing our discussions to find common ground on the future relationship.

The UK has rejected the EU’s proposal to in effect keep Northern Ireland in the customs union and single market after Brexit, but has not yet delivered on the prime minister’s promise to offer a workable alternative, Brussels claims.

In response to Raab’s comments, one senior diplomat said he hoped that the words were a sign that the UK was coming round to the proposal to simply “de-dramatise�? the EU’s version of the backstop. “But that is not what Barnier is signalling to me,�? the diplomat added.

Barnier wants both sides to illustrate to opponents of the EU backstop just how few checks in the Irish sea there would be due to the relative low level of trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

A second EU diplomat told The Guardian: “In reality this is a matter of who blinks first. And we don’t think it is going to be the EU.�?

The source added: “Nothing is going to happen until after Tory party conference on their end.�?

A third said of Raab’s optimistic comments: “On the contrary my understanding is that the UK is refusing to discuss details of how the backstop could function. The EU will continue insisting on that�?.

Raab suggested in his statement that the highest talks would be put on hold for a week, while EU leaders meet in Salzburg for a summit.

Theresa May is due to present her thoughts on the state of the talks over dinner on Thursday night before the EU leaders discuss the outstanding issues over a two-hour lunch the following day.

“We agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday�?, Raab said, “and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.�?

Both Barnier, and most recently the European commission president, Jean Claude Juncker, have also dismissed the central planks of the prime minister’s Chequers proposals of a common rule book on goods and a customs arrangement that would allow the UK to enjoy frictionless imports and export and an independent trade policy. </s> BRITAIN is “closing in” on a Brexit deal with Brussels, Dominic Raab has suggested.

The Brexit Secretary issued a statement following an “extended phone call” this morning with Michel Barnier about the latest progress both sides’ teams had made on the Withdrawal Agreement and the framework for the future relationship.

"While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” said Mr Raab.

"Looking ahead, we agreed to review the state of play in the negotiations following the informal meeting of heads of state or government of the European Union in Salzburg next Thursday, and we reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”

Earlier this week, sterling surged against the dollar and euro after the EU’s chief negotiator said a Brexit deal was possible by November if negotiators were realistic in their demands.

Mr Barnier told a forum in Slovenia: “If we are realistic, we are able to reach an agreement on the first stage of the negotiation, which is the Brexit treaty, within six or eight weeks.”

Next Thursday, Theresa May will present her Chequers Plan to EU leaders during a dinner in Salzburg before discussing Brexit among themselves the following day, with just weeks to go before an agreement is needed.

It is thought that following the Salzburg meeting the EU28 will agree to hold a special Brexit summit in November to seal the deal – or not. </s> The Brexit talks have become stuck on key issues, including how to avoid a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland, and on the future trading relationship

London and Brussels will start rolling Brexit negotiations in the final phase of talks as fears grow that Britain could leave the European Union next year without a deal, EU negotiator Michel Barnier said yesterday.

"The negotiations are now entering the final stage. We have agreed that the EU and the UK will negotiate continuously from now on," Barnier said after meeting the UK's Brexit minister Dominic Raab in Brussels. "Dominic and I will meet regularly to take stock and move the negotiations forward."

The Brexit talks have become stuck on key issues, including how to avoid a hard border between EU member Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland, and on the future trading relationship.

The two sides have just a few months before an agreement on Britain's divorce from the European Union -- set for March 29, 2019 -- must be forged in principle by October or November. Raab -- whose predecessor David Davis resigned in July over differences with Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiating strategy -- said that he would be back in Brussels next week for further talks.

"We have agreed that we need to step up the intensity of the negotiations," he added. "If we have that ambition, that pragmatism, that energy on both sides, I'm confident we can reach a deal in October," he said. Until now there have been separate "rounds" of Brexit talks every few weeks, but the pace has increased noticeably since Raab took over from Davis.

Raab played down talk of a "no deal" scenario, saying only that Britain had to be ready for "all eventualities". "Our actions speak louder than words. We're out here, I'm here seeing Michel again, I should be returning next week. We're going to be picking up the intensity of the negotiations - we agree on that - at a political level," he said.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever </s> UK ministers have leapt into action for emergency talks after the Frenchman revealed he and Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab are yet to fully resolve the Irish backstop, outstanding withdrawal agreement issues and a political declaration on the future relationship. Michel Barnier met with Mr Raab in Brussels yesterday and told a press conference: "If you count backwards from that date, March 30 2019, the day on which the UK will no longer be a member of the European Union – while remaining for 21 months, if we reach an agreement, in the single market, customs union and European policies – the countdown backwards from there has to take account of the time which is necessary for ratification. “That is a given, it will take a certain amount of time to ratify the agreement – on the UK side and the European side. "That takes us for a final agreement on the withdrawal agreement and political declaration well before the end of the year – I'm not going to say October, a few days here, the beginning of November, but not much later than that."

FOLLOW OUR BLOG BELOW FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON BREXIT. Business Secretary Greg Clark held urgent talks with officials in Dublin easier this month on an emergency agreement around Northern Ireland in the case of a no-deal Brexit. Downing Street wants to avoid publishing plans for a worst-case scenario that would include importing thousands of generators north of the border. The electricity industry has operated a single wholesale market across the island of Ireland since 2007 but is underpinned by EU law and without legal clarity, Northern Ireland could be left short of supplies in the event of a messy Brexit divorce. But the energy issue will not be among those covered by Mr Raab in Westminster tomorrow, with ministers given more time to draft less drastic contingency measures. He will brief Westminster on Thursday on more than 80 UK no-deal preparedness notices, aimed at helping businesses and citizens in case Britain crashes out of the EU without an agreement. Mr Raab yesterday dismissed the chance of a no-deal scenario occurring, despite a number of warnings from European politicians and diplomats, while also insisting the UK would be leaving the European Union on March 29, 2019, regardless of whether a deal is in place.

9.25am update: Ireland trapped by ‘hardline’ EU and Leo Varadkar Brexit positions, says former Europe minister The joint hardline positions on the Irish border, held by the EU and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, have encouraged the lack of a viable solution to the issue, a former Irish minister claimed. Lucinda Crieghton, who was Irish Minister for European Affairs between March 2011 and July 2013, argued that a series of Brexit redlines held by the EU, UK and DUP has caused a stalemate in the debate to find an Irish border solution. She said: “There is a lot of pessimism around because you have basically mutually exclusive hardline positions. “You obviously have the determination by the Irish government and the EU by extension, to maintain a seamless and borderless existence between Northern Ireland and the Republic. “Which of course would mean essentially the territory of Northern Ireland, if not the rest of the UK, remaining in the single market and effectively operating within the customs union. “Obviously the commitment of those who campaigned for Brexit and those who are still advocating a very clean break from the EU who will not countenance the UK as a whole staying in the single market or effectively within the customs union. “Then in the middleMinister you have the position of the DUP in Northern Ireland who will not allow the territory of Northern Ireland to be in anyway treated differently or separately to the rest of the UK.”

Vince Cable has attacked International Trade Secretary Liam Fox's claims that Britain will become an exporting "superpower". The Liberal Democrat leader argued that Brexit will create barriers to trade and that the Government have not offered business any “resource” to aid exports. He said: “I would expect the Trade Secretary to be promoting trade and in the favour of exports, that is what he does for a living. “The problem is the rhetoric and the verbiage is not backed up by anything concrete, there is no resource available to help exporters. “In addition, the whole process of Brexit, whether you are in favour or not, involves creating barriers to British exports because non-tariff barriers do not exist within the single market prism will disappear and there will be barriers in the future. “So it is a rather empty, slightly bombastic declaration. “The big picture is we are in danger of losing access to existing markets, not just the single market of the EU but a whole lot of preferential arrangements around the world. “If you are a British exporter at the moment you are faced with massive uncertainty which is hardly good for the objectives that Liam Fox wants to achieve.” 8.55am update: Liam Fox suggests 'tens of thousands' migration target could be scrapped International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has suggested the UK could scrap the current migration policy after Brexit following the Government announcing plans to give EU citizens the right to stay in the event of a no deal. Asked whether he agreed with the UK's immigration target of 100,000, he told LBC: "I think that one of the things that was clear from the referendum was that the public do not want unlimited movement into the United Kingdom. "The public can differentiate between people who come here with a job and will be contributing to the economy and those who under free movement were able to come to the United Kingdom and use our public services without ever having contributed to them. "Well that's the government target and we'll be reviewing what we do post-Brexit." The intervention from the Tory frontbencher came hours after Theresa May announced she would take the "moral high ground" during talks with Brussels and offer the three million EU citizens the right to stay in Britain even after a no deal.

8.40am update: Emergency talks in Northern Ireland as fears heighten over no-deal Business Secretary Greg Clark has held urgent talks with emergency officials in Dublin on an emergency agreement around Northern Ireland in the case of a no-deal Brexit. Downing Street wants to avoid publishing plans for a worst-case scenario that would include importing thousands of generators north of the border. The electricity industry has operated a single wholesale market across the island of Ireland since 2007 but is underpinned by EU law and without legal clarity, Northern Ireland could be left short of supplies in the event of a messy Brexit divorce. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab will brief Westminster on Thursday on more than 80 UK no-deal preparedness notices, aimed at helping businesses and citizens in case Britain crashes out of the EU without an agreement. But the energy issue will not be among those covered by Mr Raab in Westminster tomorrow, with ministers given more time to draft less drastic contingency measures. 8.30am update: October deadline for Brexit deal unikely to be met, says Barnier Michel Barnier has conceded that talks over a withdrawal deal are unlikely to be may not be completed by the European Council summit in October as previously hoped, leading to fears that Brexit will be delayed. The EU's chief negotiator and Brecit Secretary Dominic Raab are yet to fully agree on the Irish backstop, outstanding withdrawal agreement issues and a political declaration on the future relationship. Standing next to Mr Raab at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday following further talks, Mr Barnier said: "If you count backwards from that date, March 30 2019, the day on which the UK will no longer be a member of the European Union – while remaining for 21 months, if we reach an agreement, in the single market, customs union and European policies – the countdown backwards from there has to take account of the time which is necessary for ratification. “That is a given, it will take a certain amount of time to ratify the agreement – on the UK side and the European side. "That takes us for a final agreement on the withdrawal agreement and political declaration well before the end of the year – I'm not going to say October, a few days here, the beginning of November, but not much later than that." </s> LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union are "closing in" on a withdrawal agreement, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Friday, before a meeting of European leaders in Salzburg next week.

Britain is due to leave the bloc on March 29 but has yet to reach a full exit deal with Brussels, and some rebels lawmakers in Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party have threatened to vote against any agreement unless she changes her proposals.

Both London and Brussels are hoping to reach a deal by mid-November. May has said next week's informal EU summit will be a "staging post" in the negotiations that will allow the bloc's leaders to discuss her Brexit plans for the first time.

"While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship," Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

"We reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion," he said, adding that the pair agreed to take stock again following the Salzburg summit.

Barnier said on Twitter that he had had a "useful dialogue" with Raab but that key differences remained between the EU and Britain over the future of the Irish border and the EU's system of protecting food names.

EU officials and diplomats involved in the talks also expressed surprise about the apparent optimism in financial markets on the likelihood of a deal.

On Thursday the British government published a set of advice notices for Britons on how to prepare for the possibility of a "no-deal" Brexit, and May held a meeting of her top team of ministers to discuss the government's plans for leaving without an agreement.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the meeting Britain's property market would crash and mortgage rates would spiral up in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, with house prices falling 35 percent over three years, the Times newspaper reported.

The Co-Operative, Britain's sixth-largest supermarket group, said it could not guarantee shortages of some food products would be avoided in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Pro-Brexit rebels in May's party have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to her Brexit proposals this week, with one former junior minister saying 80 or more of May's lawmakers were prepared to vote against them.

The opposition Labour Party's foreign affairs spokeswoman Emily Thornberry told the Financial Times her party was set to vote against any Brexit deal and the lack of a viable exit from the EU would force May from office before Christmas.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. </s> Dominic Raab has ignited a row with John Lewis after he said businesses that “aren’t doing so well” should not take the “easy” option of blaming Brexit.

The John Lewis Partnership’s profits were all but wiped out in the first half of its financial year, plunging 99 per cent, with the retailer blaming “uncertainty… in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations”.

But Mr Raab said struggling businesses should “take responsibility for their own situation” instead of making the “mistake” of blaming Brexit and politicians.

His comments came after he said Britain will not pay its Brexit "divorce" bill in the event of a no-deal departure in a move likely to inflame tensions as negotiations with Brussels... </s> Brussels: The European Union (EU)'s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said the bloc's Brexit negotiations with Britain are now entering the final stage.

Negotiations on the Brexit deal resumed on Tuesday after the summer break, Xinhua news agency reported.

Discussions between Britain's Brexit minister Dominic Raab and Barnier have focused on three work streams, including a backstop solution for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland, the other outstanding issues of the Withdrawal Agreement, for instance, the protection of existing Geographical Indications, and the political declaration on the EU-Britain future relationship.

"The negotiations are now entering the final stage. We have agreed that the EU and the UK will negotiate continuously from now on," said Barnier in a statement.

"Our challenge for the coming weeks is to try and define an ambitious partnership between the UK and the EU. A partnership that has no precedent," he said.

He added this partnership has to respect the single market and the foundations of the European project. </s> * Labour to vote against a deal if May gets one

LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union are “closing in” on a withdrawal agreement, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Friday, ahead of a meeting by European leaders in Salzburg next week.

Britain is due to leave the bloc on March 29 but is yet to reach a full exit deal with Brussels and some rebels in Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party have threatened to vote against any agreement unless she changes her proposals.

Both London and Brussels are hoping to reach a deal by mid-November. May has said next week’s informal EU summit will be a “staging post” in the negotiations that will allow the bloc’s leaders to discuss her Brexit plans for the first time.

“While there remain some substantive differences we need to resolve, it is clear our teams are closing in on workable solutions to the outstanding issues in the Withdrawal Agreement, and are having productive discussions in the right spirit on the future relationship,” Raab said after a phone call with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

“We reiterated our willingness to devote the necessary time and energy to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” he said, adding that the pair agreed to take stock again following the Salzburg summit.

Barnier issued no statement and an EU official described the call as having “taken stock of the ongoing negotiations”.

On Thursday the government published a set of advice notices for Britons on how to prepare for the possibility of a “no-deal” Brexit, and May held a meeting of her top team of ministers to discuss the government’s plans for leaving without an agreement.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the meeting Britain’s property market would crash and mortgage rates spiral up in the event of a chaotic no-deal Brexit, with house prices falling 35 percent over three years, the Times newspaper reported.

The Co-Operative, Britain’s sixth-largest supermarket group, said it could not guarantee shortages of some food products would be avoided in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Pro-Brexit rebels in May’s party have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to her Brexit proposals this week, with one former junior minister saying 80 or more of May’s lawmakers were prepared to vote against them.

The opposition Labour Party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Emily Thornberry told the Financial Times her party was set to vote against any Brexit deal and the lack of a viable exit from the EU would force May from office before Christmas. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Andrew Roche)
European Union diplomats reject Dominic Raab's claim that negotiations are "closing in".