LONDON (UK) – The latest round of Brexit talks between the chief negotiators of the UK and EU will begin with a dinner at Number 10 Downing Street later on Tuesday. The negotiations have reached a deadlock over major differences over their future relationship.
The talks last week were cut short with both parties reiterating that they wanted a deal, but they were yet to bridge the gulf in positions that could see the UK leaving a transition period at the end of this year sans a free trade agreement.
After leaving the EU in January, the country is bent on striking it out alone, by seeking trade agreements with other countries and setting up its own sanctions regime.
But the EU is also adamant. The bloc’s negotiator Michel Barnier said that there could be no deal unless there were “robust guarantees for a level playing field – including on state aid – to ensure open and fair competition”.
“The dinner tonight kicks off the talks and then tomorrow there’ll be teams of officials from the UK and from the EU sitting down having further discussions,” said a spokesman of the prime minister.
Asked whether Britain had new proposals for what have been described as informal talks, he said: “I am sure discussions will cover everything from what the EU calls the level playing field through to governance structures.”
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field