[ianch99]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Yes, that's what I've read too.

Agreed but it seems that "Trade deal talks could begin once 'sufficient progress' is made" on the divorce settlement:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...eu-watch-live/

This headline from the above is also interesting?

EU will ban UK from cutting tax or scrapping regulation

Angela Merkel will insist that the U.K. rules out tax dumping as part of any trade deal struck during Brexit negotiations, a senior official from the German economy ministry has said.

"We don't want to erect barriers to trade, but we need fair dealings," German Deputy Economy Minister Matthias Machnig said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

He said:

We can only conclude a fair trade agreement with advantages for both sides if there are reasonable framework conditions in the areas of tax, regulation and the like.

A race to the bottom in tax and regulation matters would make trade relations difficult.