A note leaked to the Times written by the EU’s deputy chief negotiator shows that the EU has no intention of releasing the UK from the customs union if May’s deal is signed.
This attitude should come as little surprise to those close to the deal. Throughout the process, the EU have wished to hamper the UK’s future trading relationships to ensure that Brexit does not set a precedent for other countries who might seek to leave.
But, in spite of this leaked memo, the EU will not be admitting their intentions in public any time soon. Quite the opposite. The political agreement that will be published alongside the withdrawal agreement will be full of overblown promises about a tailor-made trade deal. These words mean nothing, however, since the political statement about the future relationship carries no legal or contractual authority.
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