Great Britain and EU failed to agree on Brexit conditions, the parties will continue negotiations to overcome differences over future relationships and trade. This is stated in a joint statement by the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the chairman European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, following a telephone conversation, reports TASS .
According to the statement, the parties agreed that the conditions for signing the final agreement were not met due to “persisting significant differences on three key topics: ensuring a level playing field, fishing rules and dispute resolution.”
The document notes that in the near future, negotiators from both sides will prepare proposals to eliminate contradictions. The parties will discuss them in Brussels in the coming days.
In November, negotiations between the European Union and Great Britain over a trade agreement were suspended due to a coronavirus infection of a member of the European delegation.
The UK officially left the European Union on 1 February. By the end of 2020, the parties agreed on a transitional period during which most of the EU laws will continue to operate in the United Kingdom, including trade rules. Before the end of the transition period, Brussels and London had to agree on the format of future relations and conclude a new trade agreement. However, in July 2020, the parties terminated regular negotiations ahead of schedule, as they could not come to an agreement on a number of issues. If they fail to reach an agreement by the end of December, the UK will no longer be part of the common European market, leading to the introduction of customs borders between the country and the EU.