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Michel Barnier, the EU’s top bargainer, told his British counterpart Lord Frost that the EU was not serious about preventing food shipments to the province. It comes after a “useful” week of informal talks between the two sides in Brussels, as post-Brexit negotiations reach a critical point. Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused the EU of being “abusive” negotiators in the dispute over a free trade agreement.
But diplomats in Brussels have backed away from the threat after it threatened to blow up future talks on relations.
A UK source close to the negotiations said: “Barnier has said that there are no obstacles to listing and that the normal process will be followed.”
Earlier, the EU had suggested that the UK could be prevented from exporting to the bloc unless the government published its exact post-Brexit plans for food security.
Lord Frost, the prime minister’s top Brexit envoy, was in Brussels this week for crucial talks with his counterpart.
They dismissed fears that future relations talks will collapse after a dispute over legislation published by Downing Street that allows ministers to overwrite the Withdrawal Agreement.
A government spokesperson said: “The UK negotiating team had useful informal discussions with the EU this week as we seek to reach an agreement in mid-October on our future relationship.
“These covered a wide range of topics and some limited progress was made, but significant gaps remain in key areas, including fisheries and subsidies. We will continue to work hard to close those gaps in the talks next week, without compromising our fundamental position of being an independent country. “
But the dispute over the government’s internal market bill has prompted EU heads to demand legally binding clauses to protect any future trade agreements from being violated.
The bloc is angry that Downing Street has considered breaking the terms of the divorce agreement signed by the prime minister less than a year ago.
Brussels sources indicated yesterday that the bloc’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, could present new “governance” rules to the future relationship between channels.
It is understood that he wants additional guarantees that the UK government cannot breach any agreement agreed between the two parties.
His move follows anger in Brussels over the prime minister’s domestic market bill, which ministers admit has the potential to put Britain at odds with international law.
EU officials refused to drop their opposition to the measure yesterday despite Johnson giving in to the conservative rebels by giving Parliament a voice on any changes to Northern Ireland’s customs rules.
A diplomatic source said: “If we want to move forward, we may need less content on a level playing field, but then a rock solid governance system is absolutely necessary.
“I think the events of the last week have proven its importance, and there is a general feeling among member states that it is even more important.”
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