Boris Johnson and Ursula van der Leyne meet on December 9, 2020 in Brussels.
Photographer: Aaron C. own / PA Media / Bloomberg
Photographer: Aaron C. own / PA Media / Bloomberg
The last round of talks to determine Britain’s future trade relationship with the European Union does not appear to be close to a breakthrough.
Three weeks before the deadline, the current situation is “very difficult”, a UK government official said in a statement. “When things stand, what is offered at the table from the EU is unacceptable.”
Negotiations will continue overnight and until Sunday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula van der Leyne are due to speak again later Sunday, after which they are expected to reach a firm conclusion on the future of the talks.
“The Prime Minister will not give up any education in this process, but he is absolutely clear: any deal must be fair and respect the basic position that the UK will be a sovereign nation,” the government official said.
According to Johnson, one of the main obstacles to any deal is the EU’s demand that the UK adhere to future changes in the terms and conditions of the alliance. Without an agreement, Britain would have to trade with its neighbors in World Trade Organization terms from January 1, which would incur high costs for companies and disrupt long-established supply chains.
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As an additional indication that Johnson’s officials were not ready for any deal, the Sunday Telegraph reported Cabinet ministers are developing a package worth 10 10 billion ($ 13 billion) to bail out vulnerable businesses – from sheep farmers and fishermen to car makers and chemical companies.
Regardless of whether negotiators can merge a deal and governments accept it, Johnson’s administration warned citizens and companies that they can expect border disruptions starting next month. Companies have not done enough to prepare, the government said.
“We have tools to mitigate disruptions and border queues, which are inevitably caused by traders adjusting to new needs in the early weeks,” the official said. “Businesses and all citizens have more to do.”
The government also said it had conducted the exercises Milling Royal Navy ships to create potential for EU trawlers to go fishing in British waters. Tobias Elwood, leader of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons Security Select Committee, said the expansion was irresponsible.
– With the help of Ian Wizard
(Adds the government’s view on border demarcation.)