Phil Hogan’s reassurances contradict the tough stance of Michel Barnier, the EU’s lead negotiator, right

The EU’s trade commissioner has given Britain’s call for a Canada-style trading relationship a boost by assuring national parliaments that the Canadian deal has “legally binding and enforceable” rules on fair competition.

The letter from Phil Hogan contradicts arguments made by Michel Barnier, the EU’s lead negotiator, that a Canada-style deal would be unsuitable for Britain because its “level playing field” provisions cannot be properly enforced.

The EU and Mr Barnier have insisted that any trade deal with Britain must include extra provisions to ensure “effective enforcement”, with sanctions, of “fair competition standards”.

Mr Hogan, however, wrote to Dutch MPs, who are ratifying the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement, or Ceta, with Canada because they feared it did not sufficiently enforce social and environmental standards.