European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, briefs the press
- Fairness is key on level playing field
- This is not to say we'd require UK to follow us every time we raise standards
- UK would remain free to decide
- Have not bridged differences on fisheries
- We decide on Sunday whether we have conditions for a deal or not
She concludes by saying that "in three weeks, it will be new beginnings for old friends" in a nod to the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December. Or so, that is supposedly the "deadline" for now.
As much as there is the risk where they might reach a decision for a no-deal outcome this weekend, one can't help but wonder that surely they will still find some reason to head back to the negotiating table before 31 December.
The pound is still keeping lower on the day with EUR/GBP sitting around 0.9170 upon contesting a key trendline resistance at 0.9184. Meanwhile, GBP/USD is off earlier lows of 1.3185 to keep above 1.3200 for the time being.