UK and EU politicians have given very different accounts of how the UK's Brexit negotiations should proceed.
The EU's Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, says the UK cannot begin negotiating trade terms with the bloc until after it hasleft.
"First you exit then you negotiate," she told BBC Newsnight.
But the BBC understands other EU Commission officials privately believe it is "inconceivable" that trade talks would not start before the UK's exit.
One of the candidates to be next UK prime minister, Liam Fox, called Ms Malmstrom's stance "bizarre and stupid", saying the Brexit talks would include trade.
But the BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says Ms Malmstrom's view of two consecutive sets of negotiations appears technically correct.
At the EU summit this week the 27 government leaders - without the UK - agreed Brexit "divorce" talks should begin and end before any talks on a new settlement for the UK, Chris Morris says.
Brussels sources told our correspondent there was a real determination among the leaders not to mix the two.
Brussels sources told our correspondent there was a real determination among the leaders not to mix the two.
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