Breakthrough on fishing rights as Brexit talks hang in the balance

Terms on access to UK waters all but finalised, say Brussels sources, but issue of following EU laws remains an obstacle

A major breakthrough has been made in Brexit negotiations on the rights of European fleets to fish in UK waters, EU sources said last night, leaving a Franco-German demand that Britain follow EU laws as the final hurdle to a historic trade and security deal.

Sources in Brussels said the two sides had all but finalised terms on the level of access for EU boats to seas within the UK's 200-mile exclusive economic zone, with a transition period for phasing in changes understood to be between five and seven years.