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EU and Britain Near Trade Deal, EU Sources Say

VOA News

   European Union and British negotiators are nearing a trade deal as
   Britain's New Year's Day exit from the 27-nation bloc approaches, EU
   officials said Wednesday.

   Two officials said negotiators are working to resolve as early as
   midnight Wednesday a fishing rights issue in British waters in hopes of
   avoiding a messy economic break between the two sides.

   One of the sources, who asked to remain unidentified because the talks
   were still ongoing, said talks had entered the final phase.

   "I expect to see some white smoke tonight," the official said.

   Since formally leaving the EU on January 31, Britain immediately
   entered an 11-month economic transition period, giving negotiators time
   to reach a free trade deal to ease its exit from the Single Market and
   the Customs Union at the end of this year.

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