UK continue talks as Brexit date looms
A CRUNCH meeting on a Brexit trade deal takes place this week with Britain potentially on the back foot after Joe Biden’s victory in the US presidential election.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen yesterday agreed to ‘redouble efforts’ to reach a trade deal with less than two months to go before Britain exits the bloc.
President Donald Trump was a
Brexit cheerleader and said he wanted to conclude a trade deal with the UK were he to win re-election.
In contrast, Mr Biden, who has Irish roots, has voiced worries about the impact of Brexit on the peace process.
The president-elect said he would seek to rebuild US ties with the EU.
The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and his British counterpart, David Frost, meet this week, and a Downing Street spokesman said Mr Johnson told Ms Von der Leyen during a call that ‘significant differences’ remain despite ‘some progress’ in recent discussions.
Though the UK left the EU on January 31, it remains within the bloc’s tariff-free single market and customs union until the end of the year. In order for a deal to pass the necessary legislative hurdles, an agreement has to be secured soon, potentially over the next week.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Europe Minister Thomas Byrne said: ‘I personally don’t expect that there would be major progress today but it is very good that the top two are talking, that’s really positive, but I don’t think we would expect “a moment” at this particular point.’