Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said Friday that he had sent an "ambitious" draft of what could be a new post-Brexit trade deal with Britain to EU capitals.
Next week's face-to-face round of EU-UK negotiations in London has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but both sides are keen to press on.
There is also, for some officials, an unspoken race to publish a comprehensive draft proposal as both sides seek to gain the initiative in a tricky months-long negotiation.
"We've sent a draft agreement on new partnership to EP & Council for discussion," Barnier tweeted, referring to the European Parliament and the member states.
"It shows ambitious & comprehensive future relationship is possible. We must give ourselves every chance of success," he said.
"We will publish the text after our exchanges & look forward to working with UK."
"Barnier thinks it will show advantage but it doesn't. It will show that what we have is fundamentally different than what they have. If we do, doing so before the UK is especially not wise."
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