The UK and the European Union have agreed on a trade deal under the Brexit agreement, Sky News reported on 23 December.
At the same time, a senior EU diplomat told Reuters that a trade deal was inevitable and could be agreed upon Wednesday evening. On condition of anonymity, he said that the EU member states will have to approve the temporary work of the agreement, which will enter into force on January 1, because there is not enough time for its ratification by the European Parliament.
At the same time, Britain did not confirm to reporters that the deal was about to be concluded, and in recent days both sides have given a very large number of such conflicting signals.
Since officially leaving the EU on January 31, the UK has been negotiating a free trade agreement with the EU in an effort to facilitate its exit from the single market and the Customs Union. The agreement, if it can be signed, should regulate duties and other economic ties between Britain and its main partner, the EU, which accounts for more or less half of all British exports and imports. Without them, all operations can temporarily stop. The population, meanwhile, is preparing for the worst and buying food in stores.
