Brexit: the European Union and the United Kingdom at loggerheads

German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the second and final day of an EU summit in Brussels, October 16, 2020. Olivier Hoslet / Pool via REUTERS

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4 min

At their summit in Brussels, the 27 heads of state and government of the European Union called on the British government to take the necessary steps to reach an agreement on the future Euro-British relationship.

A call which was opposed to an end of inadmissibility by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

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With our correspondent in Brussels, 

Unless there is a rebound by Sunday evening, European negotiator Michel Barnier will not go to London on Monday for new negotiations, contrary to his forecasts.

His counterpart David Frost dissuaded him.

According to the British negotiator, the European summit left no basis for any discussion whatsoever.

There has not been a fundamental change in approach to the EU as demanded by London.

And for good reason: Europeans believe that no progress has been made on fisheries, on fair competition conditions or on the settlement of disputes in a free trade agreement. 

Michel Barnier's indication that the Union would be ready to make concessions on access to its market in exchange for

on fishing was therefore not enough.

And Emmanuel Macron summed it up in a concise manner after the summit: " 

 ".

Everyone therefore passes the buck and affirms more and more strongly to be ready for a lack of agreement.

No Euro-British free trade, therefore, return of customs duties, fussy entry and exit controls for goods;

this is the scenario that Europeans say they fear since February 1.

And since this Friday it no longer seems to be just a threat used by one side or the other as a negotiating tool.

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• The UK will have to shoulder the consequences

For the Greek commissioner in charge of migration, Margaritis Schinas, Europe will do everything to ensure that there is an agreement, but if the British Prime Minister refuses the negotiation, he will have to assume. 

If the UK leaves the European Union without a deal and becomes a kind of greater Albania on our borders, everything will be different.

Margaritis Schinas, Greek Commissioner for Migration

Dominique baillard

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