Michel Barnier says there has been 'some progress' this week on social security coordination, UK participation in EU programmes, and governance. But there was 'no progress' on Level Playing Field and fishing. He says: 'The UK did not show a willingness to break the deadlock.'
Barnier says the lack of progress on state aid is 'all the more worrying' because the UK has given the EU no indication of what its future subsidies regime will be. He says while he respects the internal British debate on this issue 'the time for answers is quickly running out'.
Barnier says 'the UK is effectively asking for near total exclusion of EU fishing vessels' from its waters. He says while the EU 'recognises under the future agreement there may be change to the benefit of UK fishermen' its current demands are 'simply unacceptable'.
Michel Barnier: 'By its current refusal to commit to the condition of open and fair competition, and to a balanced agreement on fisheries, the UK makes a trade agreement at this point unlikely.'
Michel Barnier: 'We continue to believe that PM Boris Johnson and the UK Government want to find an agreement with the EU because it is simply in our common interest to cooperate and to address the many and very serious challenges of today.'
Michel Barnier says the EU and the UK 'need consistency or some sort of equivalence between our respective systems' on state aid. Equivalence is rather different to dynamic alignment.
Barnier rails against brinkmanship: 'There are enormous consequences in this relationship. It could greatly improve the lives of employees, employers, businesses, and consumers and you don’t do that by having ultimata or threats. I don’t think we’ve got time for these games.'
Barnier: 'When the UK come to us with a real wish to compromise on issues important for us in the same way we’re prepared to move in their direction in areas important to the UK, you'll see it won’t take very long for these dynamic compromises to give rise to consolidated text.'
