Brexit deal LIVE: Boris Johnson prepares for talks with Ursula von der Leyen in a bid to resolve the trade deadlock



[ad_1]

The two are expected to meet in the Belgian capital on Wednesday or Thursday and it will be the first time the prime minister has met Ms Von der Leyen in person since January.

A UK government source said “no tangible progress had been made” during the negotiations, which they described as “very complicated”, and said “this must now continue politically”.

Live updates

1607414823

Boris Johnson offers to remove clauses in the Brexit bill that would violate international law

On Monday, the government said it was willing to deactivate three controversial clauses 44, 45 and 47 of the UK’s internal market bill following discussions in the Joint Withdrawal Agreement Committee.

1607413768

The leaders of the 27 EU member states will meet in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit

The Times reported that fisheries negotiations have remained stalled over the length of the transition period for European trawlers to adjust to agreed changes in fishing rights.

The newspaper stated that the EU wants a grace period of 10 years, while the UK wants it to be tied back to three.

Barnier reportedly told MEPs that the deadline for the talks to be successful is Wednesday, but Downing Street said he was prepared to continue talks “as long as we have time available”, keeping the door open for a agreement in the EU on Thursday or later. Council meeting.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove met with his counterpart at the joint UK-EU committee in Brussels, although the discussions are independent of trade negotiations.

On an olive branch to Brussels, the government said it was willing to remove three controversial clauses from the UK internal market bill related to the Irish border.

1607412722

Europe’s vaccines ‘will arrive in the UK before Brexit’

Any coronavirus vaccine available in Europe before the end of the year will be able to arrive in the UK before Brexit, said the UK Vaccine Task Force manufacturing lead.

Ian McCubbin, manufacturing leader of the task force, said: “All vaccines that will be available before Christmas and the end of the year will arrive in the UK so that we can enter the country while we are still in Europe.

“In the very very short term, we will introduce these vaccines to the country before Brexit actually happens.”

At a press conference, Steve Bates, Executive Director of the BioIndustry Association, added: “I think that in terms of Brexit it is a known risk that we have been handling in this program, along with many, many others.

“Of course, it adds complexity to the process, but there is a solid plan for alternative routes and mitigation for them.

“They haven’t been tested yet, but we’ve been working on them for some time.”

[ad_2]