BREAKING: Britain and E.U. in Last-Ditch Trade Talks

Photo: Reuters

LONDON/DUBLIN (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union (E.U.) will make a last-ditch attempt to strike a post-Brexit trade deal this week, with probably just days left for negotiators to avert a chaotic parting of ways at the end of the year.

Ireland's prime minister, whose country would face more economic pain than any of the other 26 EU member states in the case of a "no deal", cautioned against over-optimism, putting the chances of an agreement at only 50-50.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke over the weekend to get their teams back to the negotiating table after talks stalled on three thorny issues.

They are due to hold another call on Monday evening in the hope that, by then, stubborn differences over fishing rights in U.K. waters, fair competition and ways to solve future disputes will have narrowed.

E.U. negotiator Michel Barnier will brief E.U. countries' ambassadors to Brussels on the state of play early on Monday and talks are expected to continue through the day ahead of another check-in by Johnson and von der Leyen.

If there is no deal, a five-year Brexit divorce will end messily just as Britain and its former E.U. partners grapple with the severe economic cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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