Leaders to push Brexit trade talks beyond Sunday deadline

By Kate Abnett and Costas Pitas

 

Lorries are parked up in the Port of Dover, in Dover, Britain December 13, 2020. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

 

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - London and Brussels agreed on Sunday to "go the extra mile" in coming days to try to reach an elusive trade agreement despite missing their latest deadline to avert a turbulent exit for Britain from the European Union's orbit at the end of the month.

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the president of the EU's executive Commission, Ursula von der Leyen had given negotiators a Sunday deadline to find a way to resolve an impasse on arrangements that would guarantee Britain zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the EU's single market.

 

On Sunday they mandated negotiators to continue, although Johnson sounded a downbeat note on prospects for a breakthrough.

 

"Despite the exhaustion after almost a year of negotiations, despite the fact that deadlines have been missed over and over we think it is responsible at this point to go the extra mile," Johnson and von der Leyen said in a joint statement.

 

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson have mandated their negotiators to "go the extra mile" and keep talking beyond a Sunday deadline in a bid to secure an elusive post-Brexit trade deal. David Doyle reports.

 

 

Britain quit the EU in January but remains an informal member until Dec. 31 - the end of a transition period during which it has remained in the EU single market and customs union.

 

Johnson said the two sides would try to be as creative as possible but Britain could not compromise on key "red lines" so the most likely option was no deal, with trade reverting to the non-concessionary terms set by the World Trade Organization.

 

A final Brexit without a trade deal would damage the economies of Europe, send shockwaves through financial markets, snarl borders and sow chaos through the delicate supply chains across Europe and beyond.

 

"Every opportunity to reach a deal is highly welcome," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin.

 

The two sides have struggled to agree on fishing rights in British waters and EU demands that Britain face consequences if in the future it diverges from the bloc's rules for fair competition - what it calls a level playing field.

 

Ireland's foreign minister, Simon Coveney, said that despite recent comments from the British side, he understood that there was largely agreement on maintaining existing standards.

 

"I think both sides do want a deal and they want a deal now," Coveney told national broadcaster RTE. "My view is that a deal can be done, but it really needs to be done within the next few days."

 

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, will brief ambassadors from the bloc on Monday morning about the state of negotiations. The envoys will then review the situation, Sebastian Fischer, an EU spokesman for Germany, which holds the bloc's rotating presidency, said on Twitter.

 

TIME RUNNING SHORT

With a succession of deadlines missed, time is now critically short.

 

"The next days will be important," the 27 EU member states were due to say in response to the decision to continue talks, according to diplomatic sources in the bloc's hub Brussels.

 

EU diplomats told Reuters if there was no time for parliamentary approval by the EU parliament, EU member states could endorse an agreement reached by negotiators to allow for "provisional application".

 

The British government has warned that even with a trade deal, 7,000 trucks heading for Channel ports in south-east England could be held in 100-km (62-mile) queues if companies do not prepare the extra paperwork required.

 

Britain is expected to fast-track the movement of some perishable goods when its transition period ends to help reduce the expected disruption at ports.

 

FISHING WATERS

The Ministry of Defence said four Royal Navy patrol ships will be ready on Jan. 1 to help protect Britain's fishing waters in the event of no deal.

 

There are concerns about possible skirmishes between British and foreign fishing vessels under that scenario because existing rules that give EU boats access to British waters will expire.

 

European Council President Charles Michel told France Inter radio the bloc would keep its cool.

 

"I will not say like Donald Trump might that our boats are bigger than theirs, because I try to be serious. On the European side, we will keep our composure," he said.

 

(Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper in London, John Chalmers and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Padraic Halpin in Dublin, Graham Keeley in Madrid, Richard Lough and Michel Rose in Paris; Writing by John Chalmers and Philippa Fletcher; Editing by Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-14

 

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What happened to the ‘we’ll walk bit’?

Like I said before: this will go on for ages. Next expect some sort of extension or something. And then another one. Probably all labeled differently to sell it to the Brexiteers. Boris won‘t lose face because he can keep blustering about walking away without a deal while not actually having to walk away. The EU will keep the status quo, sort of. And Brexiteers can keep hoping. A win-win. 

And now for the hard fought for fudge which will have the Daily Express shrieking 'the EU backed down' and have Farage spitting blood and venom, the UK will still be tied to the EU in some important parts but have the ribbons of 'freedom' wrapped around the packet, everybody except the bosses of industry and finanze will hate it but pragmatism always prevails over childish emotions. It's the end of Boris.

So the Democratic voters will be denied ?

2 minutes ago, wombat said:

So the Democratic voters will be denied ?

Who doesn’t remember that democratic vote on an FTA. 

Thank <deleted> for blue passports, at least this 5 year farce was worth it.

1 hour ago, wombat said:

So the Democratic voters will be denied ?

Oh you can still have your old dark navy blue passports, mind you, you could have kept them in the first place, despite what the oracle Daily Express tells you ,nobody said the colour had to change.

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

And now for the hard fought for fudge which will have the Daily Express shrieking 'the EU backed down' and have Farage spitting blood and venom, the UK will still be tied to the EU in some important parts but have the ribbons of 'freedom' wrapped around the packet, everybody except the bosses of industry and finanze will hate it but pragmatism always prevails over childish emotions. It's the end of Boris.

You wish

3 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

You wish

Everyone has there’s wishes, not everyone humiliates themselves and their country by very publicly making threats then very publicly backing down.

 

What an utter embarrassment Johnson is?!

 

What an utter shambles Brexit has become?!

 

Both very predictable.

 

 

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

 It's the end of Boris.

 

5 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

You wish

Oh, I do. I really, really do.

The number of deadlines in this should be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records.

Dont forget they are just talking now ,the deadline is the 31st,lets wait and see what happens then

4 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

Dont forget they are just talking now ,the deadline is the 31st,lets wait and see what happens then

Right now Johnson is supposed to be ‘walking’, or was it a typo?

11 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What happened to the ‘we’ll walk bit’?

 

7 hours ago, petermik said:

A transcript of the phone call yesterday from Mrs Merkel (aka "Hetty") to Ursula von der Leyen

"Ursula dear we have a 80 billion euro surplus of trade with them damn der Englanders,they are the worlds biggest market for our cars....give Herr Boris another call and let,s see if we cannot compromise..don,t say nothing to zee French about it"....

 

 

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What happened to the ‘we’ll walk bit’?

Difficult because he's dead in a ditch 

17 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

The number of deadlines in this should be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records.

And there's the record number of governmental domestic  policy U turns to be considered too.

Dazed and confused for so long it's not true...

' 

34 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

Dont forget they are just talking now ,the deadline is the 31st,lets wait and see what happens then

another deadline of course.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Johnson said the two sides would try to be as creative as possible but Britain could not compromise on key "red lines" so the most likely option was no deal, with trade reverting to the non-concessionary terms set by the World Trade Organization.

What part of the above statement do the same old <deleted> here not understand.

Just now, Kwasaki said:

What part of the above statement do the same old <deleted> here not understand.

'Creative' means 'inspirational texts have yet to be found to disguise the coming fudge'

There are still these Brexiteer buffoons screaming walk away completely disregarding that 98% of the deal has been agreed. Absolute clowns

Perhaps these roasters can tell us all here to whom we're actually going to sell all these fish to !

 

Nuclear agreements, Security information shared etc etc all thrown in the bin for some mackeral that the Brits rarely eat in the first place is just pure insanity

 

Quite comical reading a Spanish forum with people literally crying that roaming will be end. I'm sat there thinking these people have no idea of whats coming in the real world if they think mobile roaming is important in the overall picture

2 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Thank <deleted> for blue passports, at least this 5 year farce was worth it.

Just like the EU and the UK deal, I didn't get one. They sent out the old bergundy design - with the EU part lopped off the top.

I think we all now know Boris is after a Deal as he knows the consequences of a No Deal which he has already said he would walk away with a while back

And he is still talking why

While I personally want the UK to have a deal

Boris is going to upset the  Brexiteers as I get a feeling they are not going to get what they asked for 

3 minutes ago, shackleton said:

 

Boris is going to upset the  Brexiteers as I get a feeling they are not going to get what they asked for 

 

Get what exactly lol ??

Just read my previous post. Nuclear agreements binned, Shared terrorist information binned....shall I go on ??

98% is agreed fella. Rest assured Johnson is history which ever way this goes and certainly by January 1st

3 minutes ago, Chivas said:

 

Get what exactly lol ??

Just read my previous post. Nuclear agreements binned, Shared terrorist information binned....shall I go on ??

98% is agreed fella. Rest assured Johnson is history which ever way this goes and certainly by January 1st

You will need to ask one of the over 17 million Brexiteers 

As I mentioned I want a deal

I am sure there are Brexiteers on here who can answer your question 

13 minutes ago, Chivas said:

 

Get what exactly lol ??

Just read my previous post. Nuclear agreements binned, Shared terrorist information binned....shall I go on ??

98% is agreed fella. Rest assured Johnson is history which ever way this goes and certainly by January 1st

 

  Please do , please give more information about "shared terrorist information binned " ?

I though that would come under the U.N security Council jurisdiction or Interpol .

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

There are still these Brexiteer buffoons screaming walk away completely disregarding that 98% of the deal has been agreed. Absolute clowns

Perhaps these roasters can tell us all here to whom we're actually going to sell all these fish to !

 

  We have been having four years  of talks , there needs to come a point where you realise both sides will not come to an agreement , sticking points with no solution .

  Need to just accept that and move on , or will there be endless talks that will go on forever ? 

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What happened to the ‘we’ll walk bit’?

Which one ? 

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

What part of the above statement do the same old <deleted> here not understand.

One must wonder what was said between the two yesterday to continue talks.

 

We all know that competition rules and fishing are the two main sticking points. Boris isn't going to give up 'sovereignty' and the EU are not going to allow the UK to undercut them at every business opportunity.

 

Fishing seems like it's only a political point for votes from fishing villages and towns. It's not even worth a billion a year to any of the EU nations - or the UK.

 

The EU and the UK parliaments need to vote on the deal, but before they do any voting, they need to read and scrutinize the text. There are only 17 days to go. 4 of those days are weekend days. Any talk of a deal now is just impossible.

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What happened to the ‘we’ll walk bit’?

 

About the same as the EU's it's the best deal, take it or leave it.

 

Guess you've never been a professional negotiator.