Rigid red lines will hamper progress on EU trade deal: Ireland’s Varadkar

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain and the European Union should not set such rigid red lines before talks on a trade deal because that could make it more difficult to secure an agreement, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Sunday.

After British Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out a tough position before talks with the EU begin, Varadkar said it was possible for Brussels to offer a Canada-style trade deal but it would need to establish a level playing field.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by David Goodman)