Hopes Of Deal Rise As EU Says Ready To Work On Legal Agreement (The Times)

European negotiators have indicated for the first time that they are prepared to start writing a joint legal text of a trade agreement with the UK, before fresh talks begin today. In a potentially significant move Brussels is understood to have dropped its demand for the two sides to reach a broad agreement on all the outstanding areas of dispute before drafting a final agreement. In return the UK side is expected to engage in detailed discussions on post-Brexit fishing quotas and the government's future subsidy policy, two of the biggest remaining sticking points. Significantly this week's negotiating round, agreed in advance by Lord Frost and Michel Barnier, has been extended and will include more sessions on the key areas of outstanding difficulty.

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