Brexit: Trade deal between UK and EU will take a long time Michel Barnier warns.

              EU chief
                              negotiator Michel Barnier

A trade deal between the UK and the EU should
not be expected soon after Britain formally leaves
the bloc, the European Union’s chief negotiator
has reportedly said.
Michel Barnier, who is touring Europe to meet
officials and business groups, told an audience
that such a deal would take “much more time”
than the current phase of negotiations, according
to sources inside the meetings who spoke to
Politico Europe .
The European Union has refused to open trade
talks about the future relationship with Britain
until it feels “sufficient progress” has been made
on issues relating to its departure – such as what
will happen to the Northern Ireland border,
citizens or the divorce bill.
Mr Barnier has previously ruled out giving Britain a
special deal that would give the UK the domestic
flexibility of Canada’s trade links with the EU but
the close market access of Norway’s close
integration.
“We are not going to mix up models,” he is said
to have told his audience at the private meetings,
“but each model is available”.