Brexit negotiations to enter final stage after summer break, says European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier

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. [caption id=“attachment_4849701” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] 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.