British Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet today dismissed as speculation media reports that Great Britain and the EU are close to reaching an agreement on separation, since a compromise was reached on the disputed issue of the Irish border after Brexit.
The British government said "negotiations are ongoing" and that a Sunday Times report that an agreement had been reached on a future customs regime on the Irish-Northern Ireland border was "speculation", the Associated Press reports.
The Sunday Times announced today that London and Brussels have reached an agreement for Great Britain to temporarily remain in the customs union with the EU after Brexit, which would avoid a hard border with Ireland.
Citing sources close to the negotiators, the newspaper stated that May received concessions from the EU and that Brussels agreed that the agreement on future relations states that the entire territory of Great Britain will remain in the customs union.
According to the newspaper, the EU has allegedly accepted the checking of goods in factories or stores, and not at the border.
The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, but due to disagreements over the Irish border, London and Brussels have yet to agree on the terms of the exit.
British and European officials have said in the past days that reaching an agreement is close and that it could be confirmed during November.
British Deputy Prime Minister David Lidington said Friday that negotiators are "very close" to reaching an agreement, and Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said he "thinks it's possible that an agreement will be reached in November."
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