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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. (PHOTO: Leon Neal)
- Post-Brexit talks dragged on until Sunday as they were stalled on fishing rights.
- Sources on both sides said that unless the other backed out of access to UK waters, Britain would leave the single market at midnight on December 31.
- The EU diplomat told AFP that Brussels had made its last fishing offer to Britain and that it was now up to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to decide whether he wanted a deal.
British and EU negotiators had dug in their heels, each demanding more concessions from the other as post-Brexit trade talks dragged into Sunday, stalled on fishing rights.
Sources on both sides said that unless the other backed down on accessing UK waters, Britain would leave the single market at midnight on December 31 without a follow-up deal on inter-channel trade.
“We continue to try all possible paths to an agreement, but without a substantial change from the (European) Commission we will leave under the terms of the WTO on December 31,” said a British government source.
But an EU diplomat told AFP that Brussels had made Britain its last fishing offer and that it was now up to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to decide whether he wanted a deal.
“If Britain does not accept the latest offer from the EU, it will be a ‘no deal’ on fish,” he warned. A European official said: “It is very blocked.”
The tough conversation came when both parties are engaged in intense and tense negotiations to secure a pact before the end of the month. No deal would risk chaos at the borders of the EU and the UK, where a rush before the deadline has already sparked a long line of trucks.
Observers, however, pointed out that the problem with fisheries was to find a middle ground between supply and counter supply in an economically small sector, while the other much more important main problem, ensuring fair trade competition rules, is closer to being resolved.
“Now it all comes down to numbers,” said the European diplomat.
The head of the EU negotiations, Michel Barnier, has proposed that EU fishermen give up almost a quarter of the value of the fish they currently catch in UK waters. Britain is understood to be resisting recovering much more than half.
The UK has suggested that this commitment last three years before it is renegotiated, while Europe expects twice as long.
“We cannot accept an agreement that does not leave us in control of our own laws or waters,” said the UK government source, arguing that the EU “continues to make demands that are incompatible with our independence.”
EU fishermen fear that losing access to the UK’s rich fishing waters threatens their livelihoods.
“We are about to be sold downstream,” the European Fisheries Alliance said in a statement, urging Barnier to stick to protecting them.
“The form of an agreement, as it currently stands, would be a serious blow to the European fisheries sector, which consists of more than 18,000 fishermen and 3,500 vessels with an annual turnover of 20.7 billion euros.
Time is too short to reach an agreement.
The European Parliament has highlighted a deadline until midnight (23:00 GMT) on Sunday to receive an agreement for review if MEPs ratify it before the end of the year.
Their UK parliamentary counterparts are on hiatus, but may be removed in 48 hours to do the same.
But the EU capitals are not committing to the European Parliament deadline.
French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune said the talks would not stop if they drag on until Sunday night.
“We will not do that because what is at risk are entire sectors such as fishing, as sustainable competitive conditions for our businesses,” he said.
The urgency of reaching a deal is seen in the long lines of trucks on the rail freight link through the Channel Tunnel as British companies pile up frantically.
A group of British MPs warned on Saturday that Britain has failed to install the complex IT systems and port infrastructure needed to ensure trade with the EU runs smoothly.
Some disruption is unavoidable, deal or no deal, with British and European companies needing to fill out import-export, health and tax forms to send and receive goods from each other.
A deal would avoid fees, but there would still be traffic problems as checks on truck loads and drivers’ documents are carried out.
Even lunches from truck drivers will be under border scrutiny: The British government has warned that packaged ham and cheese sandwiches are banned from entering Europe under meat and dairy restrictions that apply to arrivals outside the EU.
