EU Summit just agreed a “binding EU target of a net domestic reduction of at least 55% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030” - so UK going somewhat further at 68%...

That is in reference to 1990 carbon emissions - which is the standard point of reference

VDL trying to sound conciliatory - making point about the ratchet clause that all sides “remain free - sovereign” to do what they are want as regards matching future increases in regulations, but that both sides should retain right to adapt conditions for market entry

On fishing VDL says UK must understand legitimate expectations of EU fishing fleet based on decades and sometimes centuries of access ...

journalists at the EU summit seem more interested in asking Merkel/ VDL about Turkey than summit Brexit discussions, so far zero questions - some informational value there ...

One way to read the VDL comments is a clear nudge towards a mutually agreed two-way ratchet clause, which wasnt on table, apparently in last few days, but was a few months back..

... people are rightly pointing out that the 55% is an EU average target that will be put in law for 2030, and that will be an average comprised of bigger reductions for Western Europe, and lower ones for east -

...This bit of EU climate policy interesting -could it apply to the UK? Presumably not if our carbon reduction is as rapid as PM’s target
“proposing a carbon border adjustment mechanism to ensure environmental integrity of EU policies & avoid carbon leakage in WTO-compatible way”

VDL on the ratchet clause... https://twitter.com/bbcpolitics/status/1337346409054474253?s=21

As I’ve pointed out about 8 times this week on here, on air & online, PM has specifically in his words at PMQs and on twins objected to idea that it is only the UK risking penalty tariffs by not following a unilateral EU decision to raise standards...

Detail does matter - eg who and how would it be decided that a divergence has unfairly distorted trade. And all that is rather murky.

IF that can be got right, there’s still a route through here