European leaders refuse to reopen the agreement on an orderly exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, agreed at the end of November with London (see EUROPE 12145). However, they could agree to clarify some of the modalities, including the backstop to avoid the return of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland if an EU/post-Brexit United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement is not in place by the end of 2020.
"The deal we have reached is the best deal possible it’s the only...