LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th November, 2020) The UK will not change its stance on fisheries and other sticking points in current negotiations over a post-Brexit free trade agreement with the European Union, and it is ready to leave the bloc with or without a deal on December 31, UK chief negotiator, David Frost, said on Sunday.
"We are working to get a deal, but the only one that's possible is one that is compatible with our sovereignty and takes back control of our laws, our trade, and our waters. That has been our consistent position from the start and I will not be changing it," Frost wrote on Twitter while he was on his way to Brussels for another round of talks with his European counterpart Michel Barnier.
In a series of tweets, he said that although there has been some progress "in a positive direction in recent days", "significant elements" are not yet agreed.
After warning that talks "may not succeed", Frost recalled that UK prime minister Boris Johnson has made clear that UK people and businesses must be ready for the change that is coming on December 31, when the UK will leave the EU whether there is a deal or not.
Earlier on Sunday, Environment Minister George Eustice said that both sides recognize time is "very, very short," so this week must be crucial for the negotiations.
"This needs to be a week when things move, when we break through some of these difficult issues and get a resolution, or at least have some sort of headlines, if you like, of an agreement. Otherwise, it gets quite difficult, as we do start to run out of time to implement it," Eustice told Sky news broadcaster.
The UK left the EU on January 31, but as part of the withdrawal agreement, both sides entered an 11-month transition period to negotiate their future commercial relations.
Trade talks have been at an impasse for months over wide divergences over fishing quotas, the level-playing field � the set of common rules and standards designed to prevent businesses in one country from undercutting their rivals in other countries � and governance.
If no trade deal is secured before year's end, the World Trade Organization's rules will come into effect starting in 2021, including customs tariffs and full border checks for UK goods entering the EU.
