Boris tells EU: Drop red tape and save talks
EUROCRATS must ditch “unbalanced” demands tying the UK to Brussels red tape if they want to rescue floundering cross-Channel trade talks, Boris Johnson insists.
In an attempt to break the deadlock Britain’s chief European negotiator David Frost is resuming discussions with top EU diplomat Michel Barnier today about Britain’s future relationship with the bloc.
But the Prime Minister’s spokesman said the EU must abandon its demand for “level playing field” rules after the post-Brexit transition ends on December 31.
Mr Barnier’s refusal to budge on the issue was hampering chances to make enough progress to allow the video conference talks to continue, the official suggested.
The spokesman said: “In relation to the level playing field the EU has insisted on inserting these novel and unbalanced proposals which would subject the UK to EU laws or standards.
“These proposals are unprecedented for a free trade agreement. As soon as the EU recognises that we will not accept an agreement on that basis we will be able to make progress.”
Mr Johnson is expected to hold talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later this month to decide whether there is enough progress to continue the trade talks.
Tory MP Peter Bone said: “The EU doesn’t have any level playing field arrangements with other countries outside the bloc.
“It is absurd to suggest that the fifth biggest economy in the world should stay sub--servient to European Union rules. It isn’t going to happen. The EU needs to start listening and accept that we have left.
“The Government should set a deadline for the point at which we give up on a free trade deal and look to a relationship based on World Trade Organization rules.”
Whitehall officials yesterday rejected a call from London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan to extend the post-Brexit transition because of the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
A Government spokesman said: “An extension would bind us into future EU legislation without us having any say in designing it but still having to foot the bill, as we would still have to make payments into the EU budget.
“We need to be able to design our own rules in our best interests to manage our response to coronavirus without the constraints of following EU rules.”