Has UK really slowed down trade talks with EU until #USElectionResults become crystal clear? No, says UK. We don’t get that impression, says EU. Yet sources in Brussels insist the UK did put the brakes on intensive negotiations this week. So what is going on? #Brexit /1
As always, it depends who you speak to. EU diplomats wonder aloud whether No10 is hedging its bets on the best (or least worst) timing to make concessions necessary to agree a trade deal with EU. Brussels can see the difficulties the PM already faces over Lockdown2 with own MPs/2
EU voices muse whether the PM is waiting till all backs against the wall time-wise before clinching the deal. For domestic political reasons. « Boris Johnson is certainly not personally involved in haggling over herring or individual fishing issues » remarked one EU diplomat /3
But UK sources push back at this analysis. They speak instead of the « natural ebb and flow » of negotiations and insist UK has continued to be constructive. They say the EU describes talks as constructive only when things going their way /4
Talks have not broken off altogether this week. Technical negotiations continue today and tomorrow. Chief negotiators Frost and Barnier are expected to speak by phone. The next round of talks are scheduled to be in London. Timetable described as ‘very fluid’ /5
Expectations are: talks will resume Monday. Teams worked the last two weekends. Not this coming one. Negotiating week predicted to be ‘intensive’ BUT /6
With both sides agreeing big gaps remain on all 3 outstanding issues (fish, competition regulations and governance of deal) it’s clear the latest (in long line of) cited cut-off point for talks - the EU had said that was 15 Nov - will be busted and further delayed /7
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