Picture copyright Getty Pictures Tal
Picture copyright
Getty Pictures
Talks to agree a UK-EU commerce deal have been placed on maintain as a result of coronavirus outbreak.
Negotiating groups have been due resume talks on Wednesday though a face-to-face assembly had already been dominated out as a result of virus.
A UK authorities spokesman has confirmed that the assembly won’t go forward “in the best way we did within the earlier spherical”.
Earlier, the overseas secretary informed MPs the Brexit transition interval won’t be prolonged, due the outbreak.
The prime minister’s negotiating crew, led by David Frost was because of meet Michel Barnier on Wednesday, to proceed talks on a deal to agree the longer term relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit.
The UK authorities spokesman stated: “Each side stay absolutely dedicated to the negotiations and we stay in common contact with the European Fee to contemplate alternative routes to proceed discussions, together with taking a look at the opportunity of video conferencing or convention calls, and exploring flexibility within the construction within the coming weeks.
“We count on to share a draft FTA (Free Commerce Settlement) alongside the draft authorized texts of a variety of the standalone agreements within the close to future nonetheless, as deliberate.”
Within the first spherical of talks between the UK and EU greater than 200 officers cut up into 11 completely different working teams, sitting spherical 11 completely different tables in a convention centre in Brussels, discussing 11 completely different coverage areas from the commerce in items to move to vitality to fish.
For the reason that coronavirus worsened, the 2 sides checked out whether or not they may replicate this set-up utilizing video-conferencing and speaker telephones.
They’ve given up as a result of it is simply too tough.
However the joint assertion means that there nonetheless is perhaps some contact this week between the 2 chief negotiators – David Frost for the UK and Michel Barnier for the EU – they usually’re nonetheless trying to find methods to carry digital negotiations sooner or later.
There’s additionally a shedload of dense paperwork (450 pages and counting) for the groups to analyse.
The EU has drafted a post-Brexit trade deal proposal, masking areas corresponding to safety, overseas coverage and fisheries.
However the a lot of the draft is anticipated to be rejected by the UK due to references to EU regulation.
The transfer to postpone the talks comes after the International Secretary Dominic Raab informed MPs that he didn’t count on that the Brexit transition interval would should be prolonged due to the virus.
In response to a query from Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, about whether or not authorities would request an extension to the transition interval to ease the stress on the federal government, Mr Raab stated negotiations may proceed.
“We’re assured that we are able to get this carried out, and I don’t suppose that delaying Brexit negotiations would give anybody on both aspect of the channel the knowledge they want.”