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EU-UK Negotiations have been paused tonight as both sides agree that conditions for an agreement are not met, due to significant divergences
Another week of EU-UK negotiations has ended tonight without any further progress being made in reaching an agreement as the clock ticks down to the end of the transition period.
Talks remain deadlocked on ‘the level-playing field’, governance and fisheries.
In a tweet this evening announcing the break in talks, EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier tweeted:
“After one week of intense negotiations in London, together with
@DavidGHFrost, we agreed today that the conditions for an agreement are not met, due to significant divergences on level playing field, governance and fisheries.
We agreed to pause the talks in order to brief our Principals on the state of play of the negotiations. President @vonderleyenand Prime Minister Johnson will discuss the state of play tomorrow afternoon.”
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UK Chief Negotiator, David Frost tweeted the joint statement from both sides which read, “After one week of intense negotiations in London, the two Chief Negotiators agreed today that the conditions for an agreement are not met, due to significant divergence on the level playing field, governance and fisheries.
On this basis, they agreed to pause the talks in order to brief their Principals on the state of play of the negotiations.
President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Johnson will discuss the state of play tomorrow afternoon.”
Access and Quotas remains the stumbling block for both sides as the UK want unchallenged control of their waters and all the fishing vessels who operate in it, and the UK wants to be able to set the quotas in their own waters.
Last night it was rumoured that a proposal was offered which would see the UK receiving an increase in quotas for demersal fish stocks in exchange for allowing EU vessels into their water. The deal would have seen EU pelagic vessels continue to fish stocks such as herring and mackerel without a change in their quotas.
Last weekend, it was reported that Barnier had offered the UK a proposal which would have see the EU fleet hand back between 15 and 18% of the value of fish stocks caught by EU boats in UK waters.
The latter deal had been rejected by the UK who are believed to be looking for an 80% hand back rather that the 18% proposed by the EU’s Chief Negotiator.
It is unclear if there has been any discussion on the former offer.
We will learn more tomorrow afternoon after the leaders of the two blocs hold their meeting.
