UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set a final deadline of Sunday to conclude talks with the European Union about securing a trade deal following lively talks with Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Boris Johnson met in Brussels last night and set a final deadline for deal negotiations. Credit: Xinhua
Talks between the two parties have been ongoing for nine months, but "large gaps" apparently still remain, with both sides attempting to salvage time for parliamentary ratification.
The two leaders agreed a conclusion should be reached before the end of the weekend, with Downing Street describing the talks as "frank" and "heated."
Both sides are still positive an accord can be reached and a deal can emerge within the allotted timeframe.
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President von der Leyen tweeted: "We had a lively & interesting discussion on the state of play on outstanding issues. We understand each other’s positions. They remain far apart. The teams should immediately reconvene to try to resolve these issues. We will come to a decision by the end of the weekend."
In the case of no-deal being reached, several contingency plans have been put in place, including air road access between the UK and EU, reciprocal fishing access from both EU and UK vessels to each other's waters as well as a regulation proposal ensuring various safety certificates can continue to be used to EU aircraft without disruption.
The EC will attempt to facilitate these four regulations on or before the deadline ends.
However, it is likely the UK will wish to ensure sovereignty over its fisheries, according to a statement made by foreign secretary Dominic Raab on the BBC's Today programme.
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In a statement, President von der Leyen said: "Negotiations are still ongoing. However, given that the end of the transition is is very near, there is no guarantee that if and when an agreement is found, it can enter into force on time.
"Our responsibility is to be prepared for all eventualities, including not having a deal in place with the UK on January 1, 2021. That is why were are coming forward with these measures today."
Johnson has made it clear he will not accept any deal or treaty where the UK is still tied to EU rules.
Earlier that day, EU leaders told their respective parliaments of the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.
Before flying to Brussels on Wednesday evening, Johnson alerted the House of Commons he was given a deal no British PM could accept.
He said: “Our friends in the EU are currently insisting that if they pass a new law in future with which we in this country do not comply or don’t follow suit, then they want the automatic right to punish us and to retaliate.
“And secondly, they’re saying the UK should be the only country in the world not to have sovereign control over its fishing waters. I don’t believe that those are terms that any prime minister of this country should accept.”
The EU has since accused Johnson of perpetuating a strawman argument he can later use to reach a compromise to appease more diehard backbenchers.
President von der Leyen is due to brief EU leaders about the results of the talks at a summit meeting on Thursday.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told German parliamentarians that the EU was simply seeking to manage the inevitable divergence from environmental and labour standards that would occur one the UK formally withdraws.
She added that Brussels would accept a no-deal outcome if the two sides could not figure out a way to minimise the risk of unfair competition between their two markets.
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The House of Commons may end up sitting until at least Christmas Eve in order to draft out a proper Brexit bill.
Under current plans, parliament will adjourn on December 21, but the recess may be delayed, according to Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
It has been nearly four-and-a-half years since the UK first voted to leave the EU back in June 2016.
All prior talks and deals under former PM Theresa May fell apart, and the coronavirus pandemic has only made reaching a deal more difficult.
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