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Talking past each other

Brexit Bulletin
Bloomberg

What's happening? Talks are back on — but the U.K. and European Union still have fundamental disagreements over their future relationship.

A post-Brexit deal is in jeopardy unless the EU recognizes Britain's red lines over fishing and the so-called level playing field, a person familiar with the British position warned on Thursday. Meanwhile, the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has accused London of running down the clock on the discussions.

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

The disagreement boils down to sovereignty, according to British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove: Brussels is demanding more of the U.K. than it does of other independent countries in similar trade deals. The EU denies this, saying Britain's proximity, size and potential access to the European single market means it needs to safeguard its own economy.

Time is running short: Only two more rounds of talks are scheduled before a crunch summit in June. Unless British Prime Minister Boris Johnson or leaders of the other 27 EU nations intervene and concede something, the U.K. may well walk away from the discussions and end the post-Brexit transition period without a trade deal in place.

That would spell additional pain for thousands of businesses and consumers already reeling from the impact of coronavirus. What was billed as the year that Brexit got done is turning into a period of double uncertainty.

Edward Evans

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