BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) – Leaders of the EU, who are meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, are likely to say that progress in talks with Britain is “still not sufficient” to seal a new trade deal.
All nations of the bloc will reach a consensus to step up contingency preparations for a sudden economic split without a deal that avoids tariffs and quotas.
At stake is a trillion euros of annual trade and the summit will also tell the EU’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, to step up negotiations with London to reach a deal and implement it to monitor relations after Dec. 31 when the present agreement expires.
They are likely to tell Britain that it has to fully implement an earlier Brexit divorce deal with the bloc.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will talk to the head of the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later on Wednesday to discuss the next steps on the eve of the Brussels summit.
Ministers of the EU block urged Britain to give concessions in fisheries, dispute settlement and guarantees of fair competition. Germany said the talks were at a critical stage.
These three areas have been thorny issues leading to a deadlock in the talks.
According to the EU, a deal must be struck this month to give enough time for it to be ratified by the European Parliament.
