We’ve left EU, so treat us like a new nation!
As Brexit talks stall, Gove tells Brussels:
DoWNING Street last night called for European leaders to intervene to save trade talks as they accused Brussels of refusing to treat the UK like an independent state.
The call for a ‘political injection’ comes after the European Union’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, described progress in the trade talks as ‘disappointing’ and claimed the UK side was failing to engage with key issues.
But No 10 indicated the failure was on the EU side and said Mr Barnier’s political masters needed to move the negotiations forward. Michael Gove told MPs: ‘The EU’s negotiators are not treating the UK yet as they would treat other independent countries.’
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster insisted trade talks would definitely end on December 31 with or without a UK-EU trade deal, and said the coronavirus pandemic should ‘concentrate the minds’ of Brussels negotiators.
on Friday, after a week of talks, Mr Barnier said the goal of making tangible progress had been only ‘very partially met’ and ‘the UK did not wish to commit seriously on a number of fundamental points’.
He warned the ‘clock was ticking’ and said Britain cannot both slow down trade talks on key areas while refusing to agree to extend the transition period. But No 10 accused the EU side of failing to accept the ‘political realities’ of the UK’s newly independent status.
‘We are ready to keep talking but that does not make us any more likely to agree to the EU’s proposals in areas where they are not taking into account the UK’s status as an independent state,’ the PM’s spokesman said.
‘All we are seeking is an agreement based on precedent which respects the sovereignty of both sides. Clearly there will need to be political movement on the EU side to move negotiations forward, particularly on fisheries and level playing field issues, in order to help find a balanced solution which reflects the political realities on both sides.’
Key stumbling blocks include access to UK waters for EU fishing boats and the ‘level playing field’ demands which are designed to prevent unfair competition between the neighbouring powers on issues including workers’ rights, environmental protection and state subsidies.
‘What we want is an agreement which is based on precedent, what the EU is seeking to do is impose conditions upon us which it has not required in other free trade agreements which it has agreed with sovereign countries around the world,’ the spokesman said.
The transition period, which kept the UK aligned to the EU’s single market and customs union rules to allow trade to flow smoothly after Brexit, expires at the end of the year unless both sides agree to an extension – something Boris Johnson has ruled out.
Mr Gove told MPs: ‘All we want is an arrangement which is one that you would extend to Norway, the Faroes and Iceland. I hope the EU will reflect and rethink because we’re not going to change our position.’
‘Hope they will reflect and rethink’