Negotiator Boris Johnson accused the European Union of taking an “unusual approach” in trade talks after the bloc leaders called on the UK to “take the necessary steps” for a post-Brexit deal.
Lord Frost, Advisor to the Prime Minister of the European Union, responded to the position taken by European Union leaders at the Brussels summit on Thursday.
In a series of tweets, Lord Frost said that he was “disappointed” with the results of the summit and was “surprised” that the bloc “was no longer committed to working” intensely “to reach a future partnership.”
This came after a call by the European Union’s chief negotiator to “intensify” talks with the United Kingdom was removed from the draft results of the summit by European Union leaders and replaced with “follow-up.”
Lord Frost added: “It was also surprised by the suggestion that to get an agreement all future moves must come from the UK.
“It’s an extraordinary way to conduct negotiations.”
Lord Frost revealed that Johnson will provide his reaction to the results of Friday’s EU summit.
The prime minister earlier raised the possibility of pulling out of the negotiations by setting this week’s Brussels meeting as a deadline for agreeing a deal.
At their summit in the Belgian capital, European Union leaders called on the United Kingdom to “take the necessary steps to make the agreement possible”.
They also indicated their “concern” that the progress in the ongoing negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union “remains insufficient to reach an agreement”.
The leaders agreed that the 27 member states and EU institutions should “intensify their work on preparedness and preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes”, before the possibility of Brixi Transition period ending December 31 without agreement regarding future relationship.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was forced to leave the summit
The leaders called on the European Commission to “consider in a timely manner the unilateral and time-limited emergency measures that are in the interest of the European Union” due to the possibility of reaching an outcome without a deal.
European Council President Charles Michel, at a news conference after the leaders’ discussions on Brexit, said the bloc was “100% united”.
“We are united and determined to reach an agreement, but not at any price,” he added.
Michel Barnier, chief negotiator of the European Union, reiterated this position and said at the press conference that differences still exist between the two sides on the so-called equal opportunity obligations, governance issues and fisheries.
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He added that the European Union is ready to continue negotiations “until the last possible day.”
“We want to give these discussions every chance for success until we secure an agreement,” he said.
Barnier also touched on the possibility of a two-week extension to Johnson’s deadline on October 15, adding that his team will travel to London for talks next week and host negotiations in Brussels the following week.
He also insisted that his officials “are ready to speed up negotiations,” contrary to Lord Frost’s tweets.
The meeting of European Union leaders in Brussels was halted on Thursday as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had to withdraw from the summit after one of her employees tested positive. Corona Virus.
She posted on Twitter: “I was just informed that a member of my front desk had tested positive for the Covid-19 virus this morning.
“I myself have shown negative results. But as a precaution I will immediately leave the European Council to go into self-isolation.”
On the eve of the European Union summit on Thursday, Johnson had a phone call with Ms von der Leyen and Mr Michel.
A Downing Street spokesman said during the call that the prime minister had “indicated a desire to reach an agreement” but “expressed disappointment at the lack of further progress over the past two weeks.”
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On Thursday, Ireland’s Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, said he believed “a deal could be struck” but acknowledged that the UK and the European Union were still “miles away” on the fisheries issue.
“There is a lot of hard work to be done and I think it will take weeks, not days to finish that,” he told an Irish Parliamentary Committee meeting.
“I hope that by early November we will be in a deal space on the horizon.”
Regarding Brexit, the message from the EU is a bit mixed – it talks about negotiations, but also says that compromise has to come from the UK.
Analysis: Is the deal confirmed? of course not!
Written by Adam Parsons, Europe correspondent
Desire for more hadiths, but move away from the word “intensified”. Talk of progress followed by allegations of deadlock.
The only thing that alone was the phrase “We want a deal but not at any price”.
Variables from this shift in phraseology came from officials and leaders, including chief negotiator Michel Barnier, European Council President Charles Michel, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
However, perhaps the most symbolic moment of the day wasn’t about what von der Leyen had said, but what she did – she rushed away from the meeting to isolate herself in her apartment at the top of the Berlaymont Building.
The truth is that despite the importance of Brexit to us, most Europeans now see it as trivial as well as the damage caused by the Coronavirus.
The mood among many sources is that they want a deal not just because of the economic benefits but to get it done and done.
The biggest exception is French President Emmanuel Macron – who reiterated today that he will not “sacrifice” his country’s fishermen if he believes their rights are restricted.
So is a deal possible? Yeah. It is likely? Could. But is this certain? of course not. Today, the European Council warned its members against “intensifying” preparations for Britain’s exit from the European Union without a deal.
