The European Commission today signalled Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, will not be given the official go-ahead to hold talks with the UK immediately after the country’s departure on January 31. A spokesman said the Brussels bureaucrat would first have to wait for “institutional processes” before the bloc’s negotiating position is finalised. The official said: “The Commission can adopt its proposal for the negotiation directives only once the UK has actually withdrawn from the EU.

“But then there is still an institutional process in order for these to be adopted by the Council and this we know will take some time, which is why we have said that we will start negotiations as quickly as we can but that this will certainly not be before the end of February or beginning of March.”

Downing Street officials today revealed the Government’s negotiators are ready to start talks as early as February 1.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are free to begin discussions with countries around the world from February 1. We are ready to begin discussions with the EU from February 1.

“The EU have various processes to go through before they are ready to sit down and have those discussions with us.”

But the Commission sought to blame MPs’ refusal to support Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement for any delay.

Its spokesman said: “We have a withdrawal agreement that was signed some time ago.

“It took one side a very long time in order to be able to ratify a withdrawal agreement, in fact we had to have new discussions on the withdrawal agreement before this could happen and elections in the UK.

“To put the ‘blame’ on the European Commission for the state of affairs seems to me to be, let’s say, beside the point, to keep it very neutral.”

EU ministers are expected to sign off on the bloc’s official negotiating position at a summit in Luxembourg on February 25.

Former Brussels boss Jean-Claude Juncker last April said the EU would be ready to start talks on the future relationship “before the ink is dry” on the UK’s divorce deal.

Simon Coveney, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, today warned the trade talk’s timetable will be “very tight”.

After meeting Mr Barnier, he said: “I hope we can negotiate as friends in terms of the negotiations that will happen in the months ahead because I think it’s in the interests of the EU and the UK, and certainly in the interests of Ireland to get a sensible trade deal and future relationship in place because of the timelines are very tight.

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“I think those negotiations need to move ahead with good will quickly.”

Mr Coveney also hinted the UK’s implementation of the Northern Ireland border deal would be closely linked to future trade talks.

He told reporters: “We all know what is in that protocol and there is a lot of work to ensure that is in place in plenty of time.

“Those structures need to be put in place in parallel with progressing the negotiations and discussions on the future relationship and future trade deal. From an Irish perspective that is really important for obvious reasons.”

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The warning comes amid fears in Brussels that Mr Johnson will not implement the necessary checks and customs tariffs on trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Under the withdrawal agreement, the Government is responsible for carrying on customs checks and collecting tariffs on goods crossing the Irish Sea.

EU officials believe this could create a potential flashpoint during trade talks, which are set to begin next month after the UK formally leaves the bloc on January 31.

On the prospect of the UK not fully implementing the Northern Ireland protocol, an EU source warned: “It’s counterproductive and will backfire.”

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