By Ben Kerrigan-
Michael Barnier has arrived in London on Friday to resume face-to-face Brexit trade talks in London this weekend, as negotiators race to reach a deal before a looming deadline.
It comes after EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier left a period of self-isolation after a colleague tested positive for Covid last week.
Ahead of travelling to the UK, Barnier said the “same significant divergences persist” in negotiations.
Barnier vowed to work with “patience and determination”. Boris Johnson old reporters that “there’s a deal there to be done if they want to do it”.
However, he added “substantial and important differences” remained between the two sides, with just over a month left before a December deadline.
Talks have been continuing via video link for the past week, following the positive Covid-19 test in a member of Mr Barnier’s team.
The talks between the UK and the EU have been stale mate for months over the issues of fishing rights, the governance of any deal and the “level playing field” conditions, designed to avoid unfair competition between the two sides.
Complicating talks is Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon ‘s revelation for a second Scottish independence referendum as early as next year. The UK left the EU on 31 January, but it is continuing to follow the bloc’s rules until the end of the year as part of an 11-month transition period. Both parties also disagree over how closely the UK should have to follow the EU’s social, labour, and environmental standards after the transition.
A trade deal will need to be agreed by then otherwise World Trade Organization (WTO) rules will call the shots. U.S president elect, Joe Biden, has added his voice to some of the disagreements between the EU and Brexit, stating that the Good Friday agreement will have to be respected. The complexities and uncertainties continue with no clear indication of how it will all end.