1/ Brexit is quite rightly taking a back seat at the moment, but it is rumbling on in the background and that famous clock is still ticking. The Commission presented its analysis of the UK's draft texts to EU diplomats this week. Here's the latest. thesun.co.uk/news/brexit/11…
2/ UK has tabled 4 texts so far outlining separate proposed agreements on an FTA, aviation, transport, and civil nuclear. This leaves further texts to cover areas like fishing, energy, law and order, immigration and social security, and participation in EU programmes outstanding.
3/ Britain wants these to comprise a 'suite' of deals each with its own separate governance system. In contrast, the EU has put forward one all-encompassing text which houses all these issues, plus security, defence, and foreign policy cooperation, within one single agreement.
4/ This contrast in approach belies the two sides' different visions for how the relationship will work. EU officials and diplomats insist little progress can be made until the UK tables a more complete offer. The absence of a proposal on fishing has caused particular alarm.
5/ In their eyes the UK is trying to split off the areas which are most in its own interest and railroad the EU into making maximum progress on those first. Fishing exemplifies this - the EU insists it has to be linked to a trade deal, whereas the UK says it's a separate issue.
6/ As one EU source sums it up: 'We're not going to go along with progress only in the areas where there are two texts. That would mean the negotiation being fully framed by UK interests. The situation basically means everything is sort of halted.'
7/ But UK has a different perspective, believing it makes more sense to make rapid progress on the areas where there was the most convergence between the sides in round 1 and leave trickier issues for later. It reckons tabling text on the latter would close negotiating space.
8/ So the UK has prepared texts covering all the other areas but doesn't think the talks would be best served by tabling them this early. In contrast the EU has put forward reams of text including on areas such as foreign policy where the UK isn't seeking a formal agreement.
9/ Another major complaint from EU capitals is that the UK is not only refusing to publish its draft texts, but won't even let the Commission share them with Member States. One diplomatic source reckons this secrecy will hinder the progress of the talks as much as anything else.
10/ The UK perspective is simply that it doesn't believe publishing or sharing the texts would help progress the talks. It keeps that position under review but for now is prioritising dealing directly with Michel Barnier on a private level as the best way to move things forward.
11/ The secrecy doesn't appear to be because the UK has a great deal to hide from a domestic perspective. EU diplomats briefed on them say they're very much as expected and - whilst from Brussels' perspective very low in ambition - chime with No 10's publicly stated positions.
12/ For the most part the EU and UK texts, when set side by side, simply demonstrate the vast differences between the two we already know about. Both sides acknowledge they fundamentally disagree on Level Playing Field and Governance. 'Galaxies apart' as one EU source puts it.
13/ As if that and the timeframe don't make things hard enough, Coronavirus is also wreaking havoc with the talks. EU diplomats say negotiating via videoconference is proving difficult. And the planned rounds have been binned in favour of 'continuous discussions' on the phone.
14/ That, of course, has its limits when such complex issues are being grappled with. No 10 continues to insist the transition won't be extended come what may. EU sources, who initially believed those protestations, are now more skeptical given the extraordinary circumstances.
15/ Meetings of the Joint Committee, through which a decision to extend must be made, are going ahead via videoconference. It's possible a planned EU-UK High Level Meeting in June will go digital too. The hard legal deadline for extension is June 30. Uncertain times ahead. ENDS.
