EU Approves Tough Negotiating Mandate for UK Trade Talks

EU Approves Tough Negotiating Mandate for UK Trade Talks
French Junior Minister for European Affairs Amelie de Montchalin (R) speaks with Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok during a meeting of EU General Affairs ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 25, 2020. Virginia Mayo/AP Photo
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The European Union on Feb. 25 gave its chief negotiator Michel Barnier a robust negotiating mandate to get a free trade deal with Britain, which counters several of the red lines that London has set.

The 27 EU nations are insisting that if Britain wants the best possible deal in the wake of its Brexit departure last month, it will have to adapt to EU rules and regulations on everything from state aid to environmental standards.