Brussels, Belgium:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will head to Brussels in the coming days in a bid to save the dying hopes of a post-Brexit trade pact, soon after the most current round of negotiations broke up Monday with out agreement.
Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart David Frost have talked for eight months but stay divided more than fishing rights, guidelines for fair trade and an enforcement mechanism for regulatory requirements.
“Talks are in the same position now as they were on Friday. We have made no tangible progress. It’s clear this must now continue politically,” a senior UK government supply mentioned.
“Whilst we do not consider this process to be closed, things are looking very tricky and there’s every chance we are not going to get there.”
After the envoys’ most current session in Brussels — and with just more than 3 weeks till Britain leaves the single marketplace — Johnson held a telephone get in touch with with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and secured an invitation to head more than in individual.
“We agreed that the conditions for finalising an agreement are not there due to the remaining significant differences on three critical issues: level playing field, governance and fisheries,” Johnson and von der Leyen mentioned in a joint statement.
“We asked our chief negotiators and their teams to prepare an overview of the remaining differences to be discussed in a physical meeting in Brussels in the coming days.”
It was not instantly clear regardless of whether Johnson’s check out would be a separate occasion, or regardless of whether he may well be slotted in ahead of a EU summit that starts on Thursday, with the other 27 EU leaders meeting in individual.
The announcement of Johnson’s trip came soon after a pessimistic day of negotiations, in the course of which Barnier told sceptical MEPs that Wednesday was the helpful deadline for a answer.
“Make it or break it” moment
The president of the European Council Charles Michel held a video get in touch with with von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to talk about the agenda of Thursday’s summit — which includes a likelihood to take stock of Brexit.
Barnier told a briefing for EU diplomats that negotiations have been nonetheless blocked more than fishing rights, guidelines for fair trade, and an enforcement mechanism for Britain’s regulatory requirements soon after it emerges from the single marketplace guidelines on December 31.
All eyes have been on the EU summit when the outline of a deal — or an admission of the failure to uncover one particular — will be place to the bloc’s 27 leaders.
A senior EU diplomat mentioned the leaders would either “welcome a deal” if there was one particular there, or demand urgent contingency measures in the occasion talks failed.
“These are going to be decisive hours for the future of our UK relations, and I guess we are at the ‘make it or break it’ moment,” the diplomat told reporters.
Ratcheting up the drama, Michael Gove, a prime UK minister and close ally of Johnson, was sent to Brussels for separate talks to talk about implementing the current divorce treaty.
After a meeting with EU vice president Maros Sefcovic, the UK government mentioned it was prepared to revoke clauses in Brexit legislation that have provoked legal action by the EU and undermined trust in London.
It was not clear if this was meant as an olive branch by the UK in the trade talks, and London mentioned the measures would stand if no trade arrangement was identified.
“Very gloomy”
Britain left the EU on January 31 and entered a transition period to enable negotiations to establish a trade partnership with zero tariffs and zero quotas.
Most sources agree that the hardest situation was how to assure fair trade in future ties and establish a swift penalty mechanism if either side have been to backtrack on, for instance, environmental or overall health requirements.
The EU fears Britain slashing its regulations, which could enable its providers to undercut European firms.
But Britain is pretty reluctant to accept a broad and binding arrangement, seeing it as an infringement on its new-identified sovereignty soon after 47 years of EU membership.
Fishing also remains a sticking point with complaints that the UK side toughened its demands soon after reports mentioned that a breakthrough was imminent.
The UK side “is pushing the EU to pull the plug, but I don’t think they will do that,” an EU diplomat mentioned.
“Maybe we need a ‘no deal’ to get a deal,” he mentioned.
Johnson boasts Britain will “prosper mightily” what ever the outcome of the talks and ruled out any request for a longer transition, which he refused to do when he had the likelihood final year.