There is still no progress in the negotiations on the future between the european UNION and the united kingdom, after the fourth round of negotiations.
said Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, at a press conference Friday.
– Our lack of progress is not due to our method, but its substance. I am the UNION’s negotiator, and it is my responsibility to tell the truth. And the truth is that there has not been any significant progress this week.
– We can not continue like this forever, he says.
This round is the last before the deadline to extend the transitional period after the brexit approaching 30. June.
It is especially questions about fishing, rules on state aid and competition, which are dividing the parties.
It is the crucial issues for the EU, but there is no progress on any of the points, says Barnier on Friday.
The same thing he has said in press conferences after the previous rounds of negotiations.
the First round of negotiations was launched in Brussels 2. march. Then the negotiations started should alternately be in Brussels and London.
But because of the coronapandemien was the physical meetings are replaced by video conferencing.
And now there is a need for partners to meet physical, if there is to be progress, believes Britain’s chief negotiator, David Frost.
– the Progress is still limited, but our conversations have been positive in tone. But we are close to reaching the limit of what we can achieve through this format (the video conference ed.).
– If we are to achieve progress, it is clear that we must intensify and accelerate our work. For our part, we are willing to work hard in order to see whether at least the outlines of a balanced agreement covering all issues, can soon be reached, says Frost.
Britain left the EU official 31. January, with a transitional period to the end of the year, when the country still follows the EU rules.
The transitional period may be extended, but it must at the latest be made 30. June. The uk is clear that it is not going to happen.
Barnier stresses on Friday that the EU would wish to extend the period by up to two years.
At the end of June there is a meeting between the british prime minister, Boris Johnson, the UNION president, Charles Michel, and the EU Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen.
Here, the parties must assess the progress made in the negotiations. The date is not yet set.
