THERE will be no extension to the Brexit transition period, or any mini deals done in the event a full free trade agreement cannot be reached, Downing Street has confirmed.
A No.10 spokesman said this morning that talks would not be continuing after December 31, as UK negotiators continue discussions in Brussels today.
Despite EU sources suggesting an agreement had been made on fishing, one of the biggest sticking points in the Brexit process, a No.10 spokesman denied any such deal but confirmed fishing was part of the negotiating agenda today.
He also acknowledged that food prices would rise in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The spokesman said talks would continue “as long as we have time available” after Michel Barnier set a deadline of this Wednesday for a deal to be reached.
He said: “Time is obviously in very short supply and we’re in the final stages, but we’re prepared to negotiate for as long as we have time available if we think an agreement is still possible.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman added: “Significant differences remain on critical issues, fisheries being one of them, and that is one of the issues that is currently being negotiated by the team in Brussels today.”
Asked about EU negotiator Michel Barnier reportedly saying no progress was made on Sunday, the spokesman said: “Our negotiations are ongoing, but we remain committed to trying to reach an FTA, and that is what our team is there trying to achieve today, but we are clearly in the final stages now.”
When pressed on whether a series of smaller deals could be made on areas which have already been agreed on, the spokesman said: “I think we’ve been clear that if we can’t reach an FTA we will leave on Australian terms.”
He also said: “Australia terms would mean the UK trades with the EU under WTO terms based on the principles of free trade.”
Asked about the suggestion that the UK would see its food prices rise if no agreement was reached with the EU, the spokesman referred to comments made by George Eustice, UK Government Environment Secretary yesterday, when he said there would be a rise in price for some products such as beef and pork, as a result of tariffs.
He added: “The other point I would make … The big drivers of food prices are exchange rates and also other factors, such as fuel costs and weather events, that can have an impact on food availability.”
Boris Johnson and the EU Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen are due to speak at 4pm today about the progress of the discussions, while Michael Gove, Cabinet Office Minister, spoke with his
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen are scheduled to discuss post-Brexit trade negotiations at 4pm UK-time, while Michael Gove took a last-minute trip to the Belgian capital this morning to talk with European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
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