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AFP
“Little or no progress” has been made within the newest spherical of UK-EU commerce talks, the UK authorities has stated.
The UK’s negotiator David Frost stated a far-reaching free commerce settlement could possibly be agreed earlier than the tip of the yr “with out main difficulties”.
However he stated the method was being held up by the EU’s want to “bind” the UK to its legal guidelines and requirements and by disagreements over fishing rights.
EU counterpart Michel Barnier is at present updating the media.
The 2 sides have been discussing their future financial and safety partnership following the UK’s withdrawal from the 27-member bloc on 31 January.
The UK has stated it is not going to lengthen the present transition interval, as a consequence of finish on 31 December, to present extra time for a deal to be reached as a consequence of coronavirus pandemic.
In a press release, Mr Frost stated there was a “good understanding” between the negotiators however that little or no progress had been on probably the most “important excellent points”.
He stated the EU was insisting upon a “set of novel and unbalanced proposals” that went nicely past different commerce agreements struck with different nations.
This, he stated, would consequence “in a so-called degree taking part in discipline which might bind this nation to EU regulation or requirements, or decide our home authorized regimes”.
The EU, he added, was persevering with to hunt entry to UK fishing waters after the transition interval “in a manner that’s incompatible with our future standing as an impartial coastal state”.
“It’s laborious to know why the EU insists on an ideological strategy which makes it harder to succeed in a mutually helpful settlement,” he stated.
“We very a lot want a change in EU strategy for the following spherical starting on 1 June.
“The UK will proceed to work laborious to seek out an settlement, for so long as there’s a constructive course of in being, and continues to imagine that that is attainable.”
Mr Frost stated the UK would make public all its draft authorized texts subsequent week so “the EU’s Member States and observers can see our strategy intimately”.