British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen held telephone talks over the conclusion of a trade agreement after Brexit, but the dialogue did not bring any results. This was reported by von der Leyen on Twitter.
"I had a phone call with @BorisJohnson on the EU-UK negotiations. Differences remain. No agreement feasible if these are not resolved. Chief negotiators will reconvene tomorrow. We will speak again on Monday," the head of the European Commission said about the results of the conversation with Johnson.
I had a phone call with @BorisJohnson on the EU-UK negotiations.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 5, 2020
Differences remain. No agreement feasible if these are not resolved. Chief negotiators will reconvene tomorrow. We will speak again on Monday. https://t.co/fsVtfW0HHh
In addition, representatives of Britain and the EU said that discussions between them about the trade agreement will continue on Sunday, December 6, and on December 7, their results will be summed up.
The British and European sides cannot come to a consensus on such aspects of the trade agreement as equal conditions of competition in the market, the rights to the fishing of EU companies in the territorial waters of the UK, penalties for violation of the future Brexit agreement.
On December 4, head of the EU delegation in negotiations with Britain Michelle Barnier, and the representative of the British government David Frost also announced the impossibility of reaching an agreement on the trade accord. On that day, they interrupted a week-long consultation.
The UK officially left the EU on January 31, 2020. The transitional period, during which the British have access to the EU common market, ends on December 31.
