British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold talks with top European Union officials on Monday to try to push forward trade discussions after post-Brexit negotiations ended last week with little sign of progress and a new deadline looming.
“The High-Level meeting between the EU and UK is now confirmed for 15 June,” European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer tweeted Thursday. The EU delegation will include Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament President David Sassoli.
In London, Downing Street confirmed the video conference meeting would take place Monday afternoon. No other details were immediately provided by any of the parties.
The two sides remained at loggerheads over several issues after four days of talks last week, including on regulations for businesses. Their positions on fisheries also remain distant, with the UK adamantly opposed to EU demands for long-term access to British waters.
The UK left the political institutions of the EU on January 31 but remains inside the EU”s tariff-free economic zone until the end of the year. The transition period can be extended by two years but a request to do so has to be made by July 1. Johnson has repeatedly said he won”t ask for an extension.
The hope is that Monday”s talks will push the negotiations forward.
If the EU and the British government don”t reach an agreement by the end of the year, tariffs and quotas will return on trade between the UK and the 27-nation bloc, another economic shock – on top of the pandemic – that most economists think would hurt Britain more. Cars exported from one side to the other, for example, would face a 10% levy.
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