The 27 European Union member states have approved guidelines for the UK's future relationship with the bloc post-Brexit. The Council confirmed it was ready to start a free trade agreement with the UK, but highlighted that "such an agreement cannot however offer the same benefits as membership and cannot amount to participation in the single market or parts thereof," according to the statement. In a statement, the European Council said it was ready to begin free trade agreement talks, but reiterated the deal could not have "the same benefits as membership and cannot amount to participation in the single market". It also warned that Britain would need to "maintain its own regulatory framework on goods from outside the EU" if it wanted access to EU markets.
The 27 European Union member states have approved guidelines for the UK's future relationship with the bloc post-Brexit. In a statement, the European Council said it was ready to begin free trade agreement talks, but reiterated the deal could not have "the same benefits as membership and cannot amount to participation in the single market". It also warned that Britain would need to "maintain its own regulatory framework on goods from outside the EU" if it wanted access to EU markets.