Time is running out between the fingers of European negotiators.

More than four weeks before the effective divorce between the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) and a post-Brexit agreement has still not been reached between the two parties.

In the deadlock for several months, negotiations should continue this weekend and London sent pessimistic signals on Friday, December 4, at the end of the discussions held Thursday evening.

"There are still problems to be overcome. The time is very short, and we are at a very difficult time in the negotiations," a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters on Friday.

"What is certain is that we will not be able to conclude an agreement which does not respect our fundamental principles on sovereignty and regaining control," he added.

Post-Brexit agreement: London is not giving up

06:58

“The British are currently building the no deal rather than negotiating”, comments Catherine Coron, lecturer at Paris-2, interviewed by France 24. For the specialist in the United Kingdom, we are heading towards a “no deal "," given the position of the British who refuse to change their point of view on questions essential for the EU ". 

“Boris Johnson considers he was elected to lead a rather hard Brexit.

Great Britain's negotiating position leaves no room for negotiation, ”adds Catherine Coron.

The British Prime Minister said he was "optimistic" Wednesday about the outcome of the negotiations, but warned that he was ready to be satisfied with a "no deal" on January 31, 2021 in the event of failure.

Consequences for the entire European economy

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, has been discussing future relations between the two camps with his British counterpart, David Frost, for months.

However, the negotiations stumbled on three main points: the rules of fair competition, the dispute settlement mechanism and on the subject of fishing.

On this last point, France raised its tone on Friday, not ruling out its veto if it deemed a possible agreement between London and Brussels bad.

The final break will take place on December 31, 2020, when the British, who officially left the EU on January 31, 2020, will stop applying European standards.

However, for a possible agreement to be ratified in time by the British and European Parliaments, the negotiations will absolutely have to be concluded in the next few days.

According to Catherine Coron, however, there could be delays given the confinements in force in several European countries.

It just risks pushing the problem aside: "We are going to come to a point where Britain will have to end up assuming its position in the negotiations."

"We are all economically interdependent. The British economy has been going badly since 2016 and we have no interest in the situation deteriorating" warns the specialist.

Without an agreement to govern their relations, the two parties will trade under the sole rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), synonymous with customs duties or quotas.

At the risk of a new economic shock on top of that of the pandemic. 

With AFP and Reuters

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