European governments welcome Brexit progress but warn of challenges

Michel Barnier confirmed that ‘once the withdrawal treaty is signed, then the real negotiation can start’.European governments and business leaders have welcomed the breakthrough in Brexit talks but warned that the most difficult negotiations lie ahead.A spokesman for the German government gave a guarded thumbs up to the pre-dawn deal announced by Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday, but said there was “still much work for negotiators to do”.