The European Union is also actively preparing for a no-deal Brexit without a UK-EU trade and cooperation agreement on 1 January 2021.
Whether “there is an agreement or not, the UK will leave the single market and the customs union at the end of the year, and this will inevitably create obstacles”, said Daniel Ferrie, a spokesman for the European Commission, on Monday 24 August. He added that a “virtual tour of the capitals” is currently being organised to inform stakeholders of the measures to be taken before “the end of the year”.
Mr Ferrie was reacting to British press reports about the UK’s intense preparations for a no-deal exit of the UK from the EU while negotiations on the future relationship still appear to be at an impasse.
Following a new formal round of talks that took place between 18 and 21 August, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, last week again reported roadblocks between London and the EU27 on key issues such as the establishment of a “level playing field”; “fisheries”, where “no progress of any kind” has been made; the governance of the future agreement; and the dispute settlement mechanism, as well as on mobility and social security coordination, where positions remain “very far apart”.
The EU negotiator also said he did not understand “why we are wasting such precious time” when both sides should - in theory - come to an agreement before the end of October.
“Those who were hoping for or expecting an acceleration of negotiations this week will be disappointed. And frankly, for my part, I am disappointed and concerned”, said Mr Barnier, citing meagre progress of a technical nature in the fields of energy, participation in European programmes, and measures to combat money laundering.
This observation was shared by the British negotiator, David Frost. “We have had useful discussions this week, but there has been little progress”, he confirmed in a statement. He also added that: “An agreement is still possible, and that is still our goal, but it is clear that it will not be easy to reach. Substantive work continues to be needed in a range of different areas of potential future UK-EU cooperation if we are to make it a reality”.
According to Mr Frost, London rejects the fact that “the EU continues to insist not only that we must accept continuity with EU State Aid and fisheries policy, but also that this must be agreed before any further substantive work can be done in any other area of the negotiations, including legal texts”.
The next round of bilateral talks will take place from 7 to 11 September in London. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)