Coveney: Brexit negotiations “not in a good place”
Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney has said Brexit negotiations are “not in a good place” as trade talks continue.
Brexit talks between the EU and UK are ongoing this week. With the end of the transition period looming, the two sides have less than two weeks to strike a deal.
Today Coveney said talks between the two blocs were “not in a good place”. He said fishing – which has been a point of contention for months – was now the main sticking point.
The Irish minister said it was “very unlikely” the EU would support a further offer on fishing from that which was offered at the weekend.
In light of the threat of a new, more infectious strain of Covid-19 in the UK, and the subsequent introduction of Tier 4 restrictions, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the government to seek an extension to the transition period.
“Securing our key supply chains and fighting the coronavirus pandemic requires the full and undivided efforts of ministers more than ever before,” he said.
“Risking the chaos and uncertainty of a no-deal Brexit was reckless even before the latest surge in Covid cases and the worrying news about this latest strain. With the virus spreading rapidly and our hospitals increasingly stretched, the only thing the country should be concentrating on is fighting the virus.”
Deadline missed
This weekend another Brexit deadline was missed. The European Parliament, which will need to ratify any agreement, had said last week that it would only hold an emergency meeting if a deal had been struck by midnight Sunday.
EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier said last night that “both the EU and the UK must have the right to set their own laws and control their own waters.
“And we should both be able to act when our interests are at stake,” he said.
The Parliament’s deadline was not set in law so it is likely that an emergency session could still be arranged before the UK’s departure on New Year’s Eve.
The UK Parliament will also have to vote for any deal.