Stock Photo - 03 February 2020, Belgium, Brüssel: 03.02.2020, Belgium, Brussels: European Commission's Head of Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom (UK Task Force/UKTF) Michel Barnier gestures during a news conference on Jebruary 3, 2020 in Brussels, Belgium. The European Commission has today issued a recommendation to the Council to open negotiations on a new partnership with the United Kingdom. This recommendation is based on the existing European Council guidelines and conclusions, as well as on the Political Declaration agreed between the EU and the United Kingdom in October 2019, and includes a comprehensive proposal for negotiating directives, defining the scope and terms of the future partnership that the European Union envisages with the United Kingdom. These directives cover all areas of interest for the negotiations, including trade and economic cooperation, law enforcement and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, foreign policy, security and defence, participation in Union programmes and other thematic areas of cooperation. A dedicated chapter on governance provides an outline for an overall governance framework covering all areas of economic and security cooperation. - NO WIRE SERVICE Photo: Thierry Monasse/dpa. - Brüssel/Brussels-Capital Region/Belgium