No Brexit solution yet but EU offering new ideas on backstop reassurances

The European Union offered Britain more ideas on Brexit backstop assurances in talks on Tuesday but the sides "have not yet been able to identify any solution", a spokesman for the bloc's executive said. "Yesterday discussion was focusing on the appropriate legal assurances for both sides on the backstop," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news conference.

"We offered ideas on how to give further assurances that the backstop if used, will apply temporarily only for as long as strictly necessary, unless and until a subsequent agreement has been found to ensure that hard border is avoided," he said. "Talks were held in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult and we have not yet been able to identify any solution," he said, adding that "further technical discussions" would continue this week.