The last talks between the European and British Brexit negotiators to take place before the European summit on 19 October started, on Monday 9 October, in an atmosphere that was still tense – with both parties still engaged publicly in the game of short sentences, and both mutually denying that they are responsible for the slow pace of the negotiations.
According to French press agency AFP, British Prime Minister Theresa May intended to say, in a speech later that afternoon, that the ball was in the EU's court. In response, Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas, followed suit. Even if this is not "a game of ball", the ball is "fully in the court of the British", he said.
Schinas was here tackling British chief Brexit negotiator David Davis, who was only due to travel to Brussels on Tuesday 10 October – although until now he has always started each round of the negotiations alongside EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Not much progress is expected during this round. The next big meeting will be that of the European leaders, who – meeting as the EU27 (Article 50 configuration) – will assess progress in the Brexit negotiations on 20 October. The issue of citizens' rights and the Irish question were expected to continue progressing as at the last negotiation rounds.
Nevertheless, as European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Barnier both underlined in Strasbourg last week, a "miracle" will be needed for the European Council to be able to consider that enough progress has been made to enable the negotiators to move on to the second phase of the discussions – on the post-Brexit EU-UK trade relationship (see EUROPE 11875).
In her speech to the British parliament, May, who is much criticised in her party, was nevertheless expected to call on the EU to show flexibility. Several sources imagine a scenario in which the EU27 will not give their green light to the second phase of the talks at the summit, but suggest they will do this in December.
As a token to May, they might, however, agree to talk about the transition period that is requested by the UK before the divorce agreement (see EUROPE 11868). But they will not by-pass Barnier and his mandate's interpretation of sufficient progress being made on the three essential elements of the divorce – with the issue of the budget having thus far made less progress.
In December, however, this "will need to move forward", a European diplomat commented a few days ago, noting that Barnier's very scrupulous, fastidious – and indeed "bureaucratic" – position was not necessarily to everyone's liking.
This weekend, Denmark's Finance Minister Kristian Jensen had much to say publicly on this, telling British newspaper The Guardian that the two parties should be ready for compromise – a basic principle in any negotiation. On Monday, however, he took a different position on Twitter, giving assurances that his words did not in the slightest challenge the unity of the EU27 on Brexit. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)