European green light to negotiate with Britain on Brexit

European Union member states have agreed to give chief negotiator Michel Barnier the green light to embark on intensive talks with the British government on its new proposals for a deal regulating Brexit's exit from the bloc by the end of this month.

The decision came after Barnier met Friday morning with his British counterpart Stephen Barclay, whom the European official described as a constructive meeting, before meeting with ambassadors of the 27 countries.

Barnier told member states that Britain had changed its stance on removing Northern Ireland from the customs union with the bloc, and was aware that no customs border could emerge between the province of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The agency also quoted other sources as saying that the new proposals are based on the establishment of customs and regulatory borders in the Irish Sea and not on the island of Ireland, an arrangement much like it was in the safety net included in the agreement of former Prime Minister Theresa May.

For his part, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to disclose the proposals submitted by his government today to the European Union and will launch intensive talks in the coming days to reach an agreement regulating the exit of the bloc.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council and the architect of the EU summit, said on 17 and 18 October that "every opportunity" should be used to reach an agreement. He added that the Brexit "without agreement will never be the option of the European Union."

The November 2018 divorce agreement between the EU and former British Prime Minister Theresa May has been rejected three times by the House of Commons, although it required 18 months of negotiations.

If no agreement is reached by October 19, Bashar said, a British law would force Prime Minister Johnson to request a three-month postponement of the Brexit, although he promised to leave the kingdom on March 31 "at any cost."

Johnson is facing a new rebellion in his government as a group of ministers resign over fears he is leading the country toward a breakout of the EU without an agreement.