Negotiations over a free trade agreement between the UK and EU began in early March
LONDON, Aug 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK still believes it can agree a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU next month, according to Downing Street.
The PM’s spokesman said UK negotiators would “continue to plug the gaps” when talks enter their seventh round in Brussels on Tuesday.
The two sides remain divided over competition rules, fishing rights and how a deal would be enforced.
The UK has ruled out extending the December deadline to reach an agreement.
This week’s talks are the last scheduled negotiating round ahead of the autumn, although both sides have previously said talks would continue in September.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier will have dinner with UK counterpart David Frost on Tuesday evening, with talks set to conclude on Friday.
On Tuesday, ahead of talks resuming, a European Commission spokesman said a deal would need to be agreed by October “at the latest”.
Barnier has said an agreement is required by this date so it can be ratified before the UK’s current post-Brexit transition period ends, in December.
After the last negotiation round in London, he accused the UK of not showing a “willingness to break the deadlock” over difficult issues.
Frost said EU offers to break the deadlock had failed to honour the “fundamental principles which we have repeatedly made clear”.
But he said the UK, which has so far insisted on a series of separate deals in different areas, was also willing to consider a “simpler” structure for an agreement.
He added the EU had shown a “pragmatic approach” over British demands to limit the role of the European Court of Justice after the transition period ends. — NNN-AGENCIES
