BRUSSELS – A top European Union official said Wednesday that trade talks with the United Kingdom still face “substantial work" that might spill over into next week, with a perilous deadline drawing ever closer.Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU's top trade official, said “there are still important elements to be resolved.
So there is still substantial work to do," if a full agreement is to come into force on Jan. 1.Several deadlines have already passed and Dombrovskis said the talks could go on for many days more.
His comments dampened hopes that a deal could be approved when the EU leaders meet in a video conference on Thursday. “We actually have seen many deadlines to come and go.