BRUSSELS (AP) – More than four years after helping Britain determine the curriculum from the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to get the job done by heading to the EU headquarters.
Less than a month after the UK’s economic collapse and new trade deals with the European Union were negotiated on three key issues, Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on Monday that they would meet face-to-face “in the coming days”. To see if common ground can be found.
Brussels is a dangerous area for British leaders who support Brexit. Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, came from time to time to negotiate the Brexit deal, only to see her repeatedly rejected by her own parliament, ending her top-level career. Johnson will be hoping for a quick and forthcoming one that will leave his reputation and his country of course for a free trade agreement with its largest economic partner.
Johnson and Von der Leyen spoke by phone for the second time in 48 hours on Monday, as their talks were stuck in the gridlock trade negotiations. They said after the call that “significant differences” have been on three main issues – phishing rights, fair competition rules and the rule of future disputes – and “no conditions for finalizing the agreement.”
The two leaders plan to discuss the remaining differences “in a physical meeting in Brussels in the coming days,” the two leaders said in a joint statement.
Despite the ongoing stalemate, high-level meeting plans will be seen as an indication, the prospect of a deal is still there, although the No. 10 Downing St. said the situation is “difficult” and a distinct possibility of failure.
No time was given for a face-to-face visit. Leaders of 27 EU nations are set to hold a two-day summit in Brussels starting on Thursday.
Michelle Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has no news of success, as ambassadors from 27 member states will be briefed soon on Monday on the possibility of a deal with London before the December 31 deadline.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Cowan said Barner’s message was “very heartbreaking.”
Penny Mordont, the junior minister for Brexit planning, told lawmakers in the House of Commons that the “level playing field” – the rules of competition that Britain must agree to enter the EU market – was the most difficult unresolved issue.
Officials from both sides said there was also a big difference between the legal oversight of any trade deal and European boats for UK water use.
The UK left the European Union politically on 31 January, remaining in the block’s tariff-free single market and customs union until 31 December. Reaching a trade deal until then ensures that there are no tariffs and trade quotas on exported or imported goods. By both sides, though, there will still be new costs and red tape.
Failure to secure a trade deal will hurt both sides financially, but most economists believe the British economy will be hit harder as the UK trades almost half of its trade with BOCL.
EU member states must unanimously support any post-Brexit trade deal and the European Parliament still needs to vote on the deal, a process that will push any deal to a year-end deadline.
While both Britain and the EU say they want a trade deal, months of testing of trust and goodwill have been pulled after negotiations.
In a further complication, Johnson’s government on Monday revived legislation that violates the legally binding Brexit withdrawal agreement it broke with the EU last year.
The UK government acknowledges that the Internal Market Bill violates international law, and the law has been condemned by many British legislators, including EU President-elect Joe Biden and Johnson’s own Conservative Party.
The upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, removed the clauses from the law last month, but Johnson’s government is asking legislators to put them back.
Britain says the bill, which empowers the government to override parts of the withdrawal agreement related to trade with Northern Ireland, is required as an “insurance policy policy” to protect the flow of goods within the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit. . The EU sees it as an act of bad faith that could disrupt Northern Ireland’s peace settlement.
The UK plans to introduce a tax bill on Wednesday that would include more action along similar lines and would further irritate the EU.
But the British government offered the bloc an ol liv branch on the issue, saying it would remove the offending clauses if a UK-EU joint committee on Northern Ireland found a solution in the coming days. Talks in the ongoing committee on Monday were said to have been constructive.
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Jill Lace Les reported from London. Samuel Petraquin contributes from Brussels.
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