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DUBLIN (Reuters) - Businesses still face the risk of a cliff edge Brexit at the end of the year given the short time available to negotiate a future trading relationship between Britain and the European Union, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said on Monday.

“This negotiation is not usual because at the end of this year, the UK is leaving the single market, it is it’s choice, it is leaving the customs union,” Michel Barnier told a joint news conference with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

“If we have no agreement, it will not be business as usual and the status quo, we have to face the risk of a cliff edge, in particular for trade.”