By Elishya Perera
BRUSSELS, Belgium (CWBN)_Talks between the United Kingdom and the European Union continue on a post-Brexit trade agreement, with a deal expected to be unveiled on Thursday (Dec 31).
It is reported that the parties are trying to finalise details on fishing quotas, which has proven to be an obstacle to agreeing on a deal. However, BBC notes that Downing Street now seemed “very confident” of a deal.
Amid speculation on the both sides being close to concluding an agreement, European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer tweeted that talks would be continuing into the night. “Work will continue throughout the night. Grabbing some sleep is recommended to all Brexit-watchers at this point,” he said.
If a deal is agreed, both sides have until December 31, when the Brexit transition period expires, to get the 2,000 pages long document to be approved by parliamentarians. One of the key issues, the matter of fishing quotas, seem to be taking centre stage as it is understood that negotiators are still bargaining over the exact quotas of specific species of fish that EU boats will be allowed to catch in British waters.
While the EU wants to retain more access of UK waters for boats from France, Spin and other member states, however, the UK insists on having control over its fishing waters from January 1, and retaining a larger share of the catch from them.
If a deal is agreed, the British government will have to have the deal approved by parliament before December 31, while the European Parliament, on the other hand, will vote on the deal retrospectively, at some point in the New Year.
Nevertheless, UK ministers have quite adamantly ruled out any extension of the Brexit transition period, during which, UK would continue to follow the trade rules of Brussels. Moreover, the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Conservative MPs has promised to reconvene its “star chamber” of lawyers to scrutinise any deal reached in detail, “to ensure that its provisions genuinely protect the sovereignty of the United Kingdom”.
