Brexit talks moved back to Brussels after seven days in London and yesterday Ursula Von der Leyen, the European commission president, said that, even though there are still two critical issues (level playing field and fisheries), a good progress has been made this week.
“We are in very close contact on an hourly basis because the negotiations now have been intensified … There are 11 other fields of files that have to be negotiated.” was Ursula Von der Leyen’s comment after a meeting with the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
The level of access to British waters the UK will provide to EU fishing fleets, fair competition rules for business and the mechanism in the final treaty for resolving future disputes are the three most sensitive arguments that will need to be resolved.
Charles Michel, president of the European council, added that there will be an assessment on the state of talks next week, hoping that the ratification process could be started by mid-November.
Justin Trudeau also commented on this assuring that the rollover process of the CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between EU and Canada under which 95% of the imports are tariff and quota-free) between Canada and UK will be fairly straightforward and smooth. Trudeau said that there have been many discussions with the British government to lay the foundations for Canada-UK free trade agreement that would allow certainty for Canadian and British companies going into the future.
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