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Post-Brexit trade deal: UK and EU resume grid-locked negotiations

(Worthy News) – Stalled post-Brexit trade deal talks have resumed once again as British and European Union negotiators convened in London Monday, the Washington Times reports. Recent talks in Brussels left the two sides still far apart on the way forward following the UK’s official departure from the EU trading bloc in January. The parties have until December 31 to agree a trade deal before the post-Brexit transition period comes to an end. Hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides may be lost in the event of a “no-deal Brexit.”

The talks thus far have come to a standstill over wide divergences between the UK and EU on issues surrounding fishing rights and rules of competition especially. The EU worries Britain will undercut the European market by lowering social and environmental standards and funding UK industries with state monies to become a low-regulation economic rival, the Examiner said. The UK says the EU is not allowing Britain to operate as an independent nation.

Moreover, Britain has angered the EU over a proposed bill that breaches the legally binding Withdrawal agreement with the European Union and violates international law. The UK bill would allow Britain to unilaterally regulate trade among England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland once the transition period is over. However, the withdrawal treaty specifically requires Britain to work with Brussels on trade arrangements for Northern Ireland: there are grave concerns that a no-deal Brexit may ultimately endanger the 1998 Good Friday agreement that was wrought after 30 years of terror and bloody ethno-nationalist conflict.

While Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government acknowledges its bill would violate the UK’s treaty with the EU, and while many in Johnson’s own Conservative party have publicly criticized the proposed legislation, no steps have been taken to address the situation as yet. Accordingly, the EU has launched legal action, giving the UK until the end of this month to correct the matter. In a tweet on October 1, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, explained: “The problematic provisions have not been removed [from the UK’s proposed bill]. Therefore this morning, the commission has decided to send a letter of formal notice to the UK government. This is the first step in an infringement procedure.”

Meanwhile, negotiators have gone back to the table in bilateral efforts to agree to a trade deal. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier tweeted Monday: “Happy to be back in London today, redoubling our efforts to reach agreement on the future (EU-U.K.) partnership.”