Britain and EU reach Brexit transition agreement
The European Union and Britain agreed that their divorce treaty would include an emergency "backstop" to avoid a hard border in Ireland.
David Davis and chief negotiator Michel Barnier claim an agreement has been reached over the financial settlement and citizens rights.
But there remain differences over the Irish border issue.
"We have transition deal," Michel Barnier told reporters after a weekend of late-night negotiations with Britain. "We have agreed that the backstop solution must form part of the legal text of the withdrawal agreement."
Following is reaction to the deal:
Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce:
"This is a milestone that many businesses across the UK have been waiting for. The agreement of a status quo transition period is great news for trading firms on both sides of the Channel, as it means that they will face little or no change in day-to-day business in the short term.
"While some companies would have liked to see copper-bottomed legal guarantees around the transition, the political agreement reached in Brussels is sufficient for most businesses to plan ahead with a greater degree of confidence. Many companies will now have the clarity they require to proceed with investment and hiring strategies that would otherwise have remained in question.
"In the interests of business across Europe, both sides must now do everything in their power to ensure that the transition does not become a political football later in the negotiation process."
Published: by Radio NewsHub