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A Whitehall official close to the negotiations told Express.co.uk that the EU negotiators were behaving like “bulls in a china shop”. He added: “This week is a hit or miss, we need a deal, but the EU side seems to be tough, especially when it comes to fishing. We need a secured deal as soon as possible, but it has to be the right one for Britain. “. ”
Lord Frost is in Brussels for another round of negotiations ahead of a European Council video summit on Thursday, which has been touted as a deadline for a draft agreement.
EU officials are pressing on fishing rights, how any deal between the two parties will be governed and “level playing field” measures aimed at preventing unfair competition on issues including state subsidies that will be resolved this week.
But tensions are mounting over the prospect of securing a fisheries deal with Whitehall officials who say French President Emmanuel Macron was mounting “pressure” as EU coastal states like France fear they may lose out on the lawsuits. from United Kingdom.
Speaking ahead of the talks, which follow a similar round in London last week, Lord David Frost said there had been progress in a “positive direction” in recent days.
However, he added that the talks may not be successful and reiterated the point made by Boris Johnson that the country must be prepared for an exit with or without a deal.
Any deal reached would be subject to ratification by EU member states, the European Parliament and the UK Parliament, which means time is short.
The agenda for Thursday’s meeting of 27 European leaders does not mention Brexit, but the response to the COVID-19 pandemic takes center stage.
But with just one other meeting, between December 10-11, scheduled before the end date of the transition period, they could be seen as a key moment in shaping the UK exit.
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8:15 am update: Matt Hancock expresses hopes for a deal
Speaking this morning, the Health Secretary said: “In terms of the big decisions that we have this week, the big expansion of mass testing that we announced this morning, doubling the testing capacity by the beginning of the new year.
“Obviously the work on vaccines – good news for the start of Janssen’s new vaccine trial today – and we hope it works because we have 30 million of them on order.”
And then obviously working on the Brexit deal, with which Lord Frost has gone to Brussels today to agree.
“All these things, Prime Minister, I have no doubt, it will be exciting in its usual way.”
7:30 am update: Applications open for new Brexit-free ports
Proposals to develop up to 10 new free ports in the UK have gone a step further with the Treasury inviting applications for the scheme.
The selected areas will benefit from a variety of tax breaks, including land purchases, and the program will create thousands of jobs, the Treasury said.
The tender for free ports opens on Monday for seven locations in England, with the first one expected to open in 2021.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Our new free ports will create national centers for trade, innovation and commerce, leveling out communities across the UK, creating new jobs and accelerating our economic recovery.”
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