People familiar with both party positions say the talks are less likely to be wrapped up on Sunday, but they should take place before Christmas.
Boris Johnson’s emergency release census puts pressure on last minute for negotiators as they struggle to reach a post-Brexit trade agreement.
Officials say the proclamation is focused on reaching their conclusions within days. When the British prime minister announced new borders in London and southeastern England on Saturday, negotiators in Brussels were close to an agreement.
People familiar with both party positions say the talks are less likely to be wrapped up on Sunday, but they should take place before Christmas.
Whether the nine-month negotiations between the UK and the European Union lead to a trade agreement will depend on both sides to close their dispute over fishing, which is the last major obstacle left. But that seems hard: European countries with large fishing industries are opposed to any approval proposed by the European Commission. However, officials on both sides said the gap could still be closed.
“The EU is still struggling to achieve the necessary flexibility in its member states and continues to pursue demands that are inconsistent with our freedoms,” a UK government official said in a statement. “We are still trying our best to reach an agreement, but without further ado to the commission we will be abandoning the WTO rules by December 31.”
The cost of failure
Failure to reach a trade agreement could mean that the UK does business with its largest and closest trading partner in terms of the World Trade Organization – meaning millions of businesses and consumers will face costs and disruptions in prices and rates.
The epidemic has severely disrupted trade talks held after Brexit since they began in March. Both major negotiators were forced to separate after showing signs at the beginning of the process and for months both sides were able to talk about the video link.
With some major issues resolved, the entire agreement now depends on how well the EU is prepared to stop its fishing in UK waters. While Britain was a member of the EU, the block regulated fishing rights through its Common Fisheries Policy, a plan Johnson said fined the UK domestic industry.
Teams from the European Commission in Brussels held a second round of talks with national capitals on Saturday. Negotiations were tense and unintentional, said one EU strategist.
EU offer
Following its discussions with member states on Friday, the Commission has pledged to reduce the bloc by approximately 25% of the current 650 million ($ 800 million) fish caught annually in British waters. The UK has refused, and has been demanding that the EU contribute 60%, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The EU has also offered to reduce the duration of the new preparation phase to six years, after 10 first requests. The UK rejected the proposal and proposed it for only three years.
The British team feels very powerful after making recent permits at another major roadblock, which is a competitive gaming industry. But Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, made it clear on Friday that access to a single market would be conditional on keeping UK fishing water open to boats from the bloc.
Speeches can still fall apart. With the exception of a cautious tone coming from the negotiating room, one person familiar with the UK government’s position said the outcome of the agreement disagreement remains high.