Michel Barnier met with Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay in Brussels, who was adamant the Irish "backstop" be stripped from any deal. The backstop, effectively an assurance of a soft border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Britain leaves, has been perhaps the chief obstacle in negotiations.
米歇尔·巴尼耶在布鲁塞尔会见了英国脱欧大臣斯蒂芬·巴克利，巴克利坚持认为，任何协议都要排除爱尔兰的“边境保护措施”。这种“边境保护措施”实际上是确保了英国脱欧后爱尔兰和北爱尔兰之间的软边界，已成为谈判的主要障碍。