By Brexit talks in difficult position at crucial point
Crucial negotiations to secure a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU are to resume later today.
Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said progress was being made but then the EU “added a whole load of additional demands” which created problems and was a “setback”.
The minister said the UK is prepared to make some agreements on the level playing field, but that the EU must treat the UK as sovereign equal.
As reported, fishing remains a key sticking point in talks, the Environment Secretary stated the UK wants to “control access to our waters” but the EU wants to have the “same privileges and access” it has now.
Today’s meeting follows talks between the Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen failed to deliver an agreement.
The two spoke over the phone for an hour on Saturday but were unsuccessful in breaking the deadlock on “critical issues”.
In a joint statement issued afterwards, they revealed that fishing rights, competition rules and how any deal would be enforced were still causing problems.
The pair added:
“Both sides underlined that no agreement is feasible if these issues are not resolved”.
However, they also stated that they both:
“Welcomed the fact that progress has been achieved in many areas”.
Lord Frost and his team of negotiators are due to travel back to Brussels today, where they will resume trying to work through the areas of disagreement.
Photo credits: Virginia Mayo.
