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Britain and Brussels are said to be “still miles apart in fishing” as the December 31 transition deadline draws alarmingly closer. The talks are not expected to resume in person this week after UK negotiator David Frost faced another hurdle last week due to a coronavirus. outbreak in the main EU negotiation Michel Barnier’s team. The UK has now offered a “review clause” on any fisheries deal after three to five years in an attempt to appease the EU.
But the bloc is said to want this to happen in 10 to 15 years.
A source said: “They still don’t get it.
“They are still demanding basically 80 per cent of the access that they now have to UK waters and they stick to that demand.”
Barrie Deas from the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organizations added that the UK should reject this demand as it would only adapt to the EU.
He told The Sun: “I am sure that a 10-year deal with trade ties would serve the EU very well.”
“But it would not be consistent with the UK’s status as an independent coastal state, and I hope it will be rejected if postponed.”
The EU is also believed to be demanding that the review cover the entire trade deal.
This could mean that negotiations are forced to resume in a decade in what could be a repeat of this year’s unbearable stalemate.
READ MORE: Brexiteer fears’ endless talks’ urging UK to ‘regain control
He added that he still hopes that it will be possible to reach an agreement with Brussels.
Mr Gove said: “I hope that we can secure a good agreement with the European Union.
“The European Union must also move and must recognize that we voted to regain control and that is the most important thing.”
Barnier said yesterday during the virtual talks that the negotiators were running out of time.
He added that “fundamental divergences remain” in what could be a sign that the EU is not yet ready to change its position on the fisheries agreements.
Until now, the main obstacles have been future fishing rights, as well as so-called “level playing field” rules to ensure fair competition and governance arrangements for any deal.
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