European Council Summit In October To Show Whether Brexit Deal Could Be Achieved - Barnier

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2018) The upcoming summit of EU leaders, which is scheduled for October 18, should clarify whether an agreement on the conditions for UK withdrawal from the European Union is achievable, EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Tuesday.

"The European Council in October will be the moment of truth, it's then that we shall see whether the agreement we are hoping for is within our grasp," Barnier said at a press conference after the EU General Affairs Council's meeting.

At the moment, not all issues related to the "divorce" agreement have been resolved, he added.

On September 10, Barnier said that London and Brussels could finalize their agreements on Brexit in late October or the beginning of November. The United Kingdom and the European Union have to address three important issues, which will enable the smooth Brexit process with respect for the two parties' interests, including to finalize a treaty on the UK departure from the European Union, resolve the issue of the Irish border and decide on the format of future relations.

On Tuesday, European Council President Donald Tusk said that an extraordinary summit on Brexit could be held in November. The possibility of calling another European Council will be discussed at the informal summit of EU leaders on September 20 in Salzburg.

In June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. While Brexit is set to take place on March 29, 2019, London and Brussels still cannot reach agreement on a number of issues, namely, the Irish border and the customs arrangements, which makes both sides concerned over a possible no-deal scenario.