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European sources said trade talks on Brexit had failed to make a breakthrough due to disagreements over access to Britain’s coastal waters, state aid rules and oversight of any final deals. Details of the impasse emerged after the European Commission secretary general briefed EU member states. Michel Barnier was supposed to update the bloc’s 27 ambassadors, but was forced to isolate himself after a member of his team tested positive for coronavirus.
The two sides agreed to continue talks online as time runs out to reach an agreement before the end of the British bloc transition in December.
An EU source said British negotiator Lord Frost was still refusing to give in to pave the way for a compromise on fisheries.
Member states also called for an immediate acceleration of Brexit contingency planning without an EU deal.
A source said: “Contingency measures should be prepared in case there is no agreement. The plans for the problems we had foreseen in 2019 must go through the European Parliament and the Council; time is tightening ”.
European capitals agreed not to shelve trade talks in favor of pursuing so-called “mini deals” with Britain to limit discussion on a deal that is not reached in the coming weeks.
Eurocrats are waiting for a political decision to be made before an announcement on whether another round of disputes will be organized.
They were told that the differences in the level playing field, which includes future common standards and rules on state aid, are “philosophical.”
UK negotiators were said to have not come close enough to the bloc’s demand for near-equal access to Britain’s fishing grounds to constitute a breakthrough.
An EU member said the negotiations were “Groundhog Day every day.”
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