Brussels: With Brexit ”done” as far as London is concerned, UK and EU negotiators on Monday begin talks aimed at forging a future relationship – while brandishing red lines that may yet prove to be irreconcilable.
The discussions covering trade and trading standards, agriculture, security, transport, energy, fisheries and police cooperation kick off in Brussels under teams run by Frenchman Michel Barnier for the EU and governmental advisor David Frost for Britain.
They take place just over a month since Britain ceased to be an EU member, and are meant to wrap up by the end of this year — an exceedingly tight timeframe that few see as feasible for anything more than the barest of bare-bones accords.
The UK’s current transition period, during which it trades like an EU member with no tariffs or other barriers, ends on 31 December.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ruled out extending it, though he has the option to do so. The negotiations will be clouded by mistrust and weeks of chest-beating leading up to them.
Each side has accused the other of shifting away from goals set out in a nonbinding political declaration struck late last year.
Rival mandates published last week highlighted the EU’s aim of securing a ‘level playing field’ to prevent Britain undercutting costly European standards on labour, tax, environment and state subsidies.
Meanwhile the UK is insisting on setting its own rules in the name of ”economic and political independence”.