There is no possibility that the current Brexit transition period, which is set to expire on December 31, can be extended into next year, Daniel Ferrie, a spokesman for the European Commission, said on Monday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2020) There is no possibility that the current Brexit transition period, which is set to expire on December 31, can be extended into next year, Daniel Ferrie, a spokesman for the European Commission, said on Monday.
The United Kingdom left the European Union on January 31, triggering an 11-month transition period that sees the UK remain in the EU's single market and customs union while both sides conduct negotiations on a new trade deal.
"At the end of the year, the UK leaves the single market and the customs union. There is no possibility to extend the transition period beyond that point. As you know well, that date is set in stone," Ferrie said at a press briefing.
The spokesman added that discussions are ongoing between the UK's top negotiator, David Frost, and his EU counterpart, Michel Barnier, although "fundamental divergences" remain in the areas of governance, fisheries, and the so-called level playing field, which describes the set of common rules designed to prevent businesses in one country from undercutting those based in another.
Since the UK left the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has categorically ruled out the possibility of extending the Brexit transition period.
