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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will travel to Brussels in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough on a post-Brexit trade deal during a dinner with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Later this morning the European Commission is expected to approve a series of measures, agreed yesterday with the UK, on how to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, diplomats are cautious about how much that agreement will help in broader free trade negotiations.
The move came after the two parties reached an agreement on the implementation of the Brexit divorce deal, as time is quickly running out until the end of the transition period on December 31.
But EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned EU foreign ministers that he now believes a no-deal exit is more likely than a trade deal negotiated on time.
“It is clear that some political momentum will be required for the talks to progress further,” a British government source said yesterday.
Britain formally left the EU in January, but has since been in a transitional period during which it remains in the EU single market and customs union, meaning that the rules on trade, travel and business have been maintained. same.
Ms Von der Leyen said she “look forward to” welcoming Mr. Johnson and tweeted: “We will continue our discussion on the Association Agreement.”
Downing Street hopes that tonight’s dinner can pave the way for talks to resume between negotiators Barnier and his British counterpart David Frost.
EU leaders will meet tomorrow in Brussels for a two-day summit, which could give further political momentum to a deal.
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It is understood that the European Commission has agreed to a series of temporary derogations from the EU rules on the movement of animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland to avoid an immediate supply disruption to supermarkets.
While the importation of sausages, ground meat and refrigerated ready meals will be dealt with by special labeling, it is understood that in the long term, supermarkets in Northern Ireland will have to source these meats from local suppliers on both sides of the border.
It is also understood that the EU inspectors, charged with overseeing how the UK will implement the protocol, will not have specialized facilities in Belfast, but will instead operate from so-called temporary joint work offices.
However, the UK has agreed that officials in EU capitals will have access to UK customs databases to monitor the flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Talks have failed over issues of fishing rights, “level playing field” measures aimed at preventing the UK from undermining the EU on state subsidies and rules, and how any deal will be governed.
The Office of Budget Responsibility has suggested that a no-deal outcome could wipe out 2% of gross domestic product, a measure of the size of the economy, by 2021.
The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, warned that the long-term damage caused by a no-deal situation would be worse than the economic impact of the coronavirus.
The Taoiseach told a meeting of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party last night that significant differences persist on the issue of a level playing field.
Micheál Martin said there is a continuing risk of a no-deal Brexit, which would be very serious in all regions.
However, he said there is a route to a resolution on fisheries.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said today is “fundamental.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time, he said he believes the British government wants to “try to find a way to get a deal.”
“Failing to get that Future Relationship Agreement on the line tomorrow … means that we will move into next year without any structured Future Relationship Agreement or Trade Agreement in place.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs @SimonCoveney on the Brexit negotiations.#rtept pic.twitter.com/MjD3PLTBvA
– RTÉ Prime Time (@RTE_PrimeTime) December 8, 2020
Additional information Tony Connelly, Reuters
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