Brexit latest: Boris Johnson in direct talks with EU as deadline looms

Boris Johnson in Brussels on Wednesday for Brexit talks

 

UK PM and Commission president to meet for dinner ‘to continue discussions on the future relationship.’

 

BY BARBARA MOENS AND CRISTINA GALLARDO

December 8, 2020 7:13 pm

https://www.politico.eu/article/johnson-in-brussels-on-wednesday-to-unlock-brexit-talks/

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday evening to discuss Brexit.

 

In a tweet, von der Leyen said she was looking forward "to welcoming U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tomorrow evening. We will continue our discussion on the Partnership Agreement."

 

According to a Downing Street spokesperson: "The PM will travel to Brussels tomorrow for dinner with VDL to continue discussions on the future relationship between the UK and the EU."

 

The leaders will try to unlock the Brexit negotiations after both sides delivered downbeat assessments of the lack of progress in recent days.

 

In a joint statement after a phone call on Monday, Johnson and von der Leyen said the conditions for finalizing an agreement "are not there,” with the same three areas of discord — fisheries, the so-called level playing field for trade, and the governance of any deal — still blocking the path to even a basic agreement.

 

Brussels wanted to avoid Johnson's trip overlapping with an in-person summit of EU leaders, which starts Thursday.