Chancellor Philip Hammond has said any "transitional deal" in the immediate period after Brexit must end by the time of the next general election.
He said there must be "business as usual, life as normal" for Britons as the UK exits the EU.
"Many things would look similar" the day after Brexit - on 29 March 2019 - as the UK moved gradually towards a new relationship with the EU, he said.
But he added the transition must end by June 2022, before the next election.
Meanwhile the Guardian has reported that Malta's PM Joseph Muscat has said he is "starting to believe that Brexit will not happen".
The UK is due to leave the EU at the end of March 2019, but there has been increasing talk of a "transitional" or "implementation" stage to smooth the Brexit process, before a new long-term relationship with the EU is in force.
He said there must be "business as usual, life as normal" for Britons as the UK exits the EU.
"Many things would look similar" the day after Brexit - on 29 March 2019 - as the UK moved gradually towards a new relationship with the EU, he said.
But he added the transition must end by June 2022, before the next election.
Meanwhile the Guardian has reported that Malta's PM Joseph Muscat has said he is "starting to believe that Brexit will not happen".
The UK is due to leave the EU at the end of March 2019, but there has been increasing talk of a "transitional" or "implementation" stage to smooth the Brexit process, before a new long-term relationship with the EU is in force.