EU's Tusk to present draft for trade deal with Britain on Wednesday

[March 06, 2018]  BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The chairman of European Union leaders Donald Tusk will present on Wednesday draft guidelines on what the bloc would like to see in a trade agreement with Britain after the country leaves in 2019, his spokesman said.

 European Council President Donald Tusk leaves after meeting Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May in 10 Downing Street in London, March 1, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

The guidelines will be the basis for talks by the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier with London about a future relationship.

A declaration on their future ties is to be attached to the formal treaty ending Britain's 46 years in the EU that is to be ready by October so that it can be ratified by all EU members in time for Britain's departure at midnight of March 29th, 2019.

The draft guidelines, which will still need to be approved by the governments of the 27 countries that will remain in the EU, are to be presented at a news conference at 1215 GMT.

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski)

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