EU And British Negotiators Will Continue Talks On Post-Brexit Trade
European Union (EU) and British negotiators will continue talks on post-Brexit trade in Brussels on Monday until about mid-week.This was stated over the weekend by sources from both sides. This signals that they are still trying to prevent the harmful termination of existing ties, in less than nine weeks, without an agreement on new relationships.
The talks, intense and secret, are the latest attempt to conclude a new partnership agreement, when the transitional period after Britain's withdrawal from the EU ends at the end of this year.
If the parties overcome the issues, the new agreement will cover everything from trade and energy to transport and fisheries. But if they fail, from 1 January 2021, tariffs and quotas will be introduced that will cause damage to trade in goods and services at an estimated annual rate of $ 900 billion (€ 769.36 billion).
There is still much to be done
An EU diplomatic source and a UK official have confirmed that talks will continue in Brussels on Monday after a weekend round of talks. Information on the procedure and chances of an agreement is expected on Wednesday or Thursday (November 4 or 5), they added.
European Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Friday that "much remains to be done" until the agreement is reached.
Another EU diplomat watching the talks said over the weekend that talks on the most sensitive issues, including fisheries, competition rules and how to resolve disputes in the future, are still complicated.
Three main scenarios
However, both sides had previously signaled their readiness to compromise on fisheries, a politically sensitive issue for Britain and France, as well as for several other EU countries.There were even reports last week that Paris was already preparing the ground for an agreement.However, time is running out, making financial markets and companies increasingly nervous as Britain and the EU face three main scenarios: an agreement this year to save free trade, a tumultuous break-up, a cowardly agreement on future ties in only a few areas, while the restwill remain hanging in the air.