EU chief negotiator departs trade talks in London

European Union (EU) chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, continued to hold meetings in London over the weekend with his UK counterpart, saying talks on reaching a post-Brexit trade deal were continuing "even on Sunday."

Earlier on Sunday, Britain’s foreign minister said there was only about a week left for the UK and the EU to strike a deal, with fishing rights the major obstacle to an agreement.

The UK left the EU early this year, but remained part of the 27-nation bloc’s economic embrace during an 11-month transition as the two sides tried to negotiate a new free-trade deal to take effect Jan. 1.

Talks have already slipped past the mid-November date long set as a deadline for an agreement to be reached if it is to be approved by lawmakers in Britain and the EU before year’s end.