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- Negotiations on a trade pact between the EU and Britain will continue on Sunday despite big differences.
- This was announced by the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, after a phone call.
Both von der Leyen and Johnson had acknowledged that the negotiations so far had brought progress on many points, he said in a joint statement. However, “considerable differences” remained on three key issues: a level playing field, fishing and the instruments used to punish violations of the envisaged agreement.
“Both parties stressed that no agreement will be possible without these points being resolved,” he said. The differences are serious. However, it was agreed that the negotiating teams would resume their talks in Brussels on Sunday. Johnson and von der Leyen want to speak directly again on Monday night and take stock.
Conversations better than nothing
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin welcomed the announced continuation of the negotiations. “An agreement is in everyone’s interest,” Martin wrote on Twitter. “Everything possible must be done to reach an agreement.”
Ireland, a member of the EU, is particularly affected by Brexit. The EU wants to avoid a hard border with the British province of Northern Ireland, as this could lead to new political tensions and violence.
Brexit negotiations had been declared a top priority after negotiators failed to make progress on Friday. Timing is of the essence because Brexit should be completed in three and a half weeks. Without a trade pact, there will be tariffs and high trade barriers between Britain and the EU from January.
