The government was tight-lipped over what was said between Xavier Bettel (seen on the left) and Michel Barnier (second from the left), saying only that the meeting provided an “in-depth look at the progress of talks on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and future relations with the United Kingdom.”

“[...] to me, the challenge the Union will have to face is to reduce as much as possible the negative impacts of Brexit, in particular concerning services,” Bettel said.

Tweeting from Luxembourg, Barnier said that the “level playing field” question was at the heart of their discussions on the future partnership with the UK.

Bettel, meanwhile, tweeted that “Luxembourg wishes to reduce as much as possible the negative impact of Brexit for both parties.”

At a press conference on Wednesday, British ambassador to Luxembourg John Marshall said that he hoped the European Commission guidelines, to be agreed by the member states, “will not be too restrictive” and “allow for negotiations on all possible options.”