EU approves strategy for Brexit talks, says negotiator Michel Barnier

The EU has finalised its tough Brexit negotiating position, reiterating its hard line on the UK’s departure bill and refusing to discuss a future trading arrangement until there is agreement on other key topics.

“We want to move to a situation where all the commitments taken by the UK will be honoured, as will ours with the UK,” said Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, after a meeting of the remaining 27 national governments.

“We need to settle the accounts, and that’s a question of trust between us to build our future relationship.”