LONDON – In June 2016, 51.8% of British citizens voted to end the country’s membership of the European Union, compared with 48.1% of those who voted to remain in the union. Yet six and a half years later, the UK is still engaged in a long and convoluted round of negotiations attempting to secure a divorce from the bloc.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to abolish thousands of EU laws by the end of 2023 could lead to a full-scale trade war between London and Brussels, British media reported citing senior European Union officials.

Meanwhile, EU leaders are reportedly preparing their own “unilateral balancing measures” in secret meetings in Brussels. Sources suggest these measures could include the option to impose tariffs on UK goods entering the EU’s single market, according to media reports.