UK tells EU: back down by Sunday night or we'll walk

By Alistair Smout and Paul Sandle

 

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks near Downing Street, in London, Britain, December 8, 2020. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain told the European Union on Thursday it should make significant concessions to break the impasse in Brexit trade talks by the end of the weekend to give some clarity about the finale to the five-year-old Brexit crisis.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union's chief executive Ursula von der Leyen gave themselves until the end of the weekend to seal a new trade pact after failing to overcome persistent rifts over a "lively" dinner of turbot on Wednesday.

 

"There's still clearly some scope to keep talking but there are significant points of difference that remain," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told BBC TV, adding that both sides needed to take stock at the weekend.

 

"Sunday I think is an important moment," Raab told Sky News. "You never say never in these talks, but I think we do need to get some finality."

 

The pound extended its losses against the dollar and the euro, down 0.6% against the dollar at $1.3318 at 0829 GMT GBP=D3. Versus the euro it was down around 0.7% at 90.755 pence EURGBP=D3.

 

Raab said the main points of contention - fisheries and commitments on a level playing field - were narrow in scope but they were matters of principle for Britain.

 

"Substantial movement," he said, was needed on both issues for talks to continue beyond Sunday.

 

Britain formally left the EU in January, but has since been in a transition period during which it remains in the EU single market and customs union, meaning that rules on trade, travel and business have stayed the same.

 

That ends on Dec. 31. If by then there is no agreement to protect around $1 trillion in annual trade from tariffs and quotas, businesses on both sides will suffer.

 

Failure to agree new rules to govern everything from car parts to Camembert would snarl borders, shock financial markets and sow chaos through supply chains in a world already grappling with the economic cost of COVID-19.

 

Tesco Chairman John Allan has warned that food prices will go up if Britain leaves the EU's orbit with no deal. Raab, asked about the remark, said there may be some changes in food prices.

 

GOING IT ALONE

 

Johnson portrays Brexit as a chance to give Britain a fully independent, more agile economy. EU powers fear London wants the best of both worlds - preferential access to EU markets but with the advantage to set its own rules.

 

That, they say, would undermine the post-World War Two project which sought to bind the ruined nations of Europe - and particularly Germany and France - into a global trading power.

 

The EU wants Britain to remain tied to the bloc's labour, social and environmental standards in the future, as well as to state aid rules for corporate state subsidies.

 

Raab, however, said the EU's position on the level playing field had "hardened".

 

"There's the substantive requirements of the level playing field and then there's the remedies... but let's be clear the EU has hardened its position," he told BBC radio.

 

Ireland's European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness said she believed "there is a deal to be done" with Britain but that it was impossible to predict if negotiations would be successful.

 

"I hope that we all get a Christmas present over the weekend. An early one," McGuinness, commissioner for financial services, told Ireland's RTE radio.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-10

 

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Off you go then.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.????

See Penny Mourdant is now trying to blame Labour for making things difficult to secure a deal.....where do these people get off?

Australian terms.....why do they persist in trying that on......although I guess it works with stupid people.

5 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

See Penny Mourdant is now trying to blame Labour for making things difficult to secure a deal.....where do these people get off?

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

Here he go again ...once more ????????

And Raab talks already about Monday ...they haven't a clue anymore what to do 1 Januari 2021

 

E.U. contingency plans are  published today 

1 minute ago, david555 said:

Here he go again ...once more ????????

And Raab talks already about Monday ...they haven't a clue anymore what to do 1 Januari 2021

 

E.U. contingency plans are  published today 

Rash is brushing off food shortages and food increases as a minor issue.

 

Of course Raab won’t be short of food.

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Rash is brushing off food shortages and food increases as a minor issue.

 

Of course Raab won’t be short of food.

The big shops are already stocking longlife shelf products , this was on Sky news 

Why both can not see there is no way to agree ..they both hope that the other side would give in .

 

Fish already moved to second position by Merkel , who is about giving single market mechanism  ultimate priority 

And take your ‘booming economy’ with you:

 

https://www.ft.com/content/734e604b-93d9-43a6-a6ec-19e8b22dad3c

 

 

 

As though the EU gives a <deleted> what UK says or does.

UK will be the biggest loser.

 

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

You can chose between Barnier, Ursula, or any of the EU. They’re all as bad. 

Boris has given them enough chances, now it’s time to walk away No Deal. 

we are moving to the next stage

1. the EU avoided any responsibility in the failure of negotiations
2. a diabolical contingency plan is set in motion with a series of carrots/sticks combo

 

 

I leave it to you to read and analyse

EU makes no-deal transport offer in return for 'level playing field' agreement 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/10/raab-eu-must-make-substantial-shift-for-brexit-talks-to-succeed

 

The EU's no-deal Brexit plans: what they are and what they mean

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/10/the-eus-no-deal-brexit-plans-what-they-are-and-what-they-mean

 

 

what I can tell you is that our debates are going to pick up: until now it was "brexit in name only" and "theatricals"; Now the action begins 

 

The EU is ready, the UK is not

.

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s always somebody else’s fault.

Have you ever had that feeling you,ve heard something somewhere before?

41 minutes ago, Hi from France said:

we are moving to the next stage

1. the EU avoided any responsibility in the failure of negotiations
2. a diabolical contingency plan is set in motion with a series of carrots/sticks combo

 

 

I leave it to you to read and analyse

EU makes no-deal transport offer in return for 'level playing field' agreement 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/10/raab-eu-must-make-substantial-shift-for-brexit-talks-to-succeed

 

The EU's no-deal Brexit plans: what they are and what they mean

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/10/the-eus-no-deal-brexit-plans-what-they-are-and-what-they-mean

 

 

 

 

 

what I can tell you is that our debates are going to pick up: until now it was "brexit in name only" and "theatricals"; Now the action begins 

 

The EU is ready, the UK is not 

 

 

 

.

And what exactly is the " level playing field " getting levelled without vaseline?

18 minutes ago, kingdong said:

And what exactly is the " level playing field " getting levelled without vaseline?

probably

 

I'm trying to analyse the measures, like

Quote

Flights

 

For a maximum of six months, air carriers will be able to continue flights from the UK to the EU. Safety certificates for aircraft parts approved before the end of the transition period will continue to be valid for aircrafts registered in the EU.

 

Under EU law, operating licences to fly between destinations within the bloc are reserved for airlines that are majority-owned and in effect controlled by EU, EEA or Swiss nationals. EasyJet, Ryanair and the British Airways owner IAG are all affected. The EU is providing for a six-month grace period.

how to interpret that?

 

 

for Easyjet this one are still good

 

 

 

but not those ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belfast is still OK

 

 

The UK needs to leave the EU, period. There is no negotiation. They could be like Turkey, a EU partner without being one ????

Ok, that was BJ. Next!

6 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

The UK needs to leave the EU, period. There is no negotiation. 

1. The UK has already left months ago, but without any consequences. Now we will see the consequences, and it's going to be interesting.
2. There will be negotiations for like ten more years 

 

I think the deal on the table was very very attractive compared to what is starting from now.

 

Like All those airlines, including British airways have been given 6 months to get under European control or loose most of their routes?

The right statement at the right time for speculators to harvest the benefits from their future positions at the stock exchange. ????

1 hour ago, Loiner said:

You can chose between Barnier, Ursula, or any of the EU. They’re all as bad. 

Boris has given them enough chances, now it’s time to walk away No Deal. 

 

The PM and his cabinet are the same people who campaigned for Brexit and the same people who told the electorate the UK could have its cake and eat it.

 

The UK is now exactly where many ‘Remainers’ said it would be (refer you ‘Project Fear’ files) and of course Brexiteers are blaming anyone and everyone except themselves.

19 minutes ago, candide said:

The right statement at the right time for speculators to harvest the benefits from their future positions at the stock exchange. ????

Exactly this.

 

The handful of hyper wealthy Brexit financial backers want their payday.

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Exactly this.

 

The handful of hyper wealthy Brexit financial backers want their payday.

Like the remainers copping out of slave labour the eu provided at the expense of british workers.

13 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Like the remainers copping out of slave labour the eu provided at the expense of british workers.

Always the hyperbole.

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Always the hyperbole.

Ever worked in a zero hour contract minimum wage job?

5 hours ago, Hi from France said:

probably

 

I'm trying to analyse the measures, like

how to interpret that?

 

 

for Easyjet this one are still good

 

 

 

but not those ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belfast is still OK

 

 

How shocking,never mind,i,ve absoulutly no desire to visit any eu country in the near future,don,t know why auu the europhie petites are getting their knickers in a twist the eu won,t last another 5 years.

11 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Like the remainers copping out of slave labour the eu provided at the expense of british workers.

 

If these E.U. labors are paid a lesser wage than their U.K. colleague, the U.K. government should intervene.

 

If they don't, or not effectively enough, the blame should be put on the U.K. government.

 

Unless the U.K. government don't consider the lost of wellness of their own man in the street as a priority, but focused primary on the wellness of their employers.

9 minutes ago, kingdong said:

Ever worked in a zero hour contract minimum wage job?

No why would I do that?

 

And if I did I wouldn’t blame anyone else for having done so.

 

And incidentally, ‘zero hour contracts’ are a product of UK laws allowing zero hour contracts, nothing at all to do with the EU.

12 hours ago, sirineou said:

Don't let the door hit you on the way out.????

We won't although we will have a huge bag of money that will not be going the EU's way and a lot of other goodies that we do not have to give in the future.

 

No doubt there will be some disruption but well worth it to be rid of the EU.  Then the UK can get back to trying to feed itself again and building industry. Who on earth would plan so a country can't feed itself. Well the EU did with its agricultural policy and Fisheries scam. Who would become nothing more than a service industry while allowing your neighbour (France) to monopolise farming.

 

I am happy for the rest of the EU who seems to love each other. Great for you. You better start digging in your pockets, as there is a huge whole left that you have to fill with the UK leaving in its entirety.

 

I am for buying British campaign. You can keep the EU products at their extortionate prices.

 

So I guess we are all happy.

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No why would I do that?

 

And if I did I wouldn’t blame anyone else for having done so.

 

And incidentally, ‘zero hour contracts’ are a product of UK laws allowing zero hour contracts, nothing at all to do with the EU.

Zero hour contracts reqire a surplus of !abour supp!ied by the " freedom of movement " of the eu,and before you condemn such workers perhaps you should walk a mile in rheir shoes,still your views are typical of the faux socialist content you post.