Despite several rounds of talks, including two weeks of “intense” meetings that ended on Wednesday, the two leaders said they were still at odds on key issues, including fisheries and mechanisms to ensure fair competition between British and European companies.
Some progress has been made, but significant differences remain, especially with regard to equal opportunity and fishing. Our teams will continue to work hard next week, “von der Leyen tweeted.
Johnson said the negotiating teams would meet again in London on Monday “to redouble efforts to reach an agreement,” a Downing Street spokesman said. “The prime minister said that while some progress has been made in recent discussions, there are still major differences in a number of areas, including so-called equal opportunity and fisheries,” the spokesman said.
The two leaders said they also agreed to maintain personal contact, indicating increased political efforts to create a new business partnership before the UK ends the post-Brexit transition period on December 31.
Before that, it took a few weeks for the treaty to be examined and ratified by both parties. Observers said it would be too narrow if no deal was reached by mid-November.
