European Union officials are working on secret plans for a new “bateau de commerce” to secure new post-Brexit trade agreements, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.
The new ship – dubbed “le trade yacht” - will ferry key European Commission figures to trade negotiations as the EU tries to rebuild its own ties with non-EU countries, particularly the Commonwealth, after Britain leaves.
Europa is modelled on the secret designs for the new Royal Yacht Britannia, which were developed by the Ministry of Defence after she was controversially decommissioned by Tony Blair’s government in 1997.
A share of the estimated £350million cost of the new EU trade yacht will be added to the £37billion Brexit bill...