British officials expect a lot of “noise” between the two sides before Brussels eventually drops its hardline negotiating position. Talks between the UK and European Commission continued last week but ended with the bloc accusing Britain of refusing to engage on its plans for a regulatory level playing field and upholding existing fisheries access. But sources close to the UK negotiating team said a deal can be completed before the post-Brexit transition period expires at the end of the year.
Officials have suggested the row over the two sides’ redlines must first escalate before they can reach a compromise.
A source said: “I’m quite positive. I do believe in the core areas of this there’s a good understanding between negotiations.
“I’m confident we will get over the disagreements. Probably a bit more noise has to happen before we get to that point. ”
Another round of online trade negotiations is scheduled for May
Michel Barnier and Boris Johnson face a moment of reckoning before striking a trade deal (Image: GETTY)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants more face-to- face meetings between top negotiators (Image: GETTY) Downing Street is expected to push for more one to one talks between Michel Barnier and David Frost, the EU and UK’s chief negotia tors, in an attempt to break the deadlock. No Senior government officials want to be able to open new channels of communications alongside the formal negotiations. But the source said the UK would not budge on its approach to the talks and would reject the EU’s continued access to Britain’s waters and attempts to lock the country into the bloc’s rulebook . The source said: “What is slowing us up is the EU’s insistence on extra provision, notably the level playing field area, aspects of governance, and of course there is no meeting of minds on fisheries. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier (Image: GETTY) “If they continue to insist on their position on a so-c alled level playing field and on continuing the Common Fisheries Policy, for example, we are never going to accept that. Draw your own conclusion from that, but I hope they will move on. “ ” There are some fundamentals that we are not going to move on because, not so much that They are negotiation positions, as they are what an independent state does, ”they added. It is understood that British and EU negotiators hope virtual bonding sessions could help build the camaraderie needed to strike a deal. Negotiations have been held via video conference since March after teams were ordered to work from home because of the coronavirus pandemic. The source said the remote talks had stopped the traditions of normal negotiations, such as “taking people off for a coffee to talk stuff through”. DON’T MISS “I don’t think the crisis makes any difference,” the source said. “It is a big and horrible thing to affect us but I sense that European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier himself would like to get a deal and I sensed that before the crisis started. “ (Read More) (Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus (Covid -) ) ) MUST READ: Brexit snub: UK rejects Brussels’ attempts to open embassy in Belfast EU TO CAVE: Brussels will give up fishery demands – UK says [INSIGHT]
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