Brexit: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen to hold summit on Monday
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will hold a virtual meeting on Monday to discuss the trajectory of post-Brexit trade negotiations.
Joining the pair will be President of the European Council Charles Michel and EU Parliament President David Sassoli.
The UK and EU have also agreed to an “intensified timetable” for trade talks, which will “involve a mix of formal negotiating rounds and smaller group meetings, both in London and Brussels”.
There will be talks each week for five weeks, beginning on 29 June.
Monday’s summit, meanwhile, will see political leaders from both sides discuss ongoing free trade negotiations between the UK and EU, which have a 31 December deadline.
Talks are currently stalled after four negotiating rounds, with particular difficulties over fishing policy and business competition regulations.
Sources on the UK negotiating team said last week that there was unlikely to be much movement until politicians on each side met to discuss blockages.
The UK will walk away from negotiations before the end of summer if they do not think a deal is possible.
Cabinet Office minister Penny Mordaunt said on Tuesday that there was no point doing an “11th hour” trade deal, with British businesses needing to know what to expect next year far sooner.
Fishing policy is one of the major flashpoints in talks, with EU member states pushing to retain the same access to UK fishing waters as they had when Britain was in the EU.
Chief UK negotiator Frost has described this as a “non runner” and is asking for a “zonal attachment” agreement, which can be periodically reviewed.
Frost said the UK would be “an independent coastal nation” on 1 January next year in any case.
The EU is also asking for the UK to match regulations on things like labour laws, environmental protection and state aid provisions.
In return for this level-playing field for businesses on both sides, the EU has said it will allow zero-tariff trading with the UK.
UK negotiators have said they will not allow the EU to set British regulations on these issues.
Last month, a source close to Frost said: “We can’t accept arrangements which mean we need to have EU law prevailing in the UK or mechanically follow what the EU does without having a choice about it.
“That’s what there can’t be compromise about.”
Yesterday, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said the UK was trying to “cherry pick” benefits of EU membership without the added responsibilities.
“The UK chose to become a third country – it cannot have the best of both worlds,” he said.
“This is simply not in the long term political or economic interest of the EU.”