EU fisheries war: Brussels warned UK will not ‘accept’ level playing field

The EU have been told by British negotiators that the UK will not bend and accept demands for a continued access to British fishing waters.

British negotiators have doubled down on their warning and reiterated that officials will keep rejecting any and all attempts to keep Britain tied to the bloc’s laws.

A source close to the British negotiators said, “If they continue to insist on their position on a so-called level playing field and on continuing the Common Fisheries Policy, for example, we are never going to accept that.

“Draw your own conclusion from that but I hope they will move on.”

Adding, “There are some fundamentals that we are not going to change, we are not going to move on because, not so much that they are negotiation positions, as they are what an independent state does.”

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier said that talks ended with “disappointing progress.”

However, British negotiators blamed the EU over “limited progress” in the first round of the post-Brexit trade deal.

A source said, “We made limited progress in bridging the gaps between us.

“We agree with Barnier that there is little time, there is the need to make progress.

“What is clear to me is, if we were agreeing a standard Canada-style free trade agreement, we could do it quite quickly with quite a good understanding between the negotiators on the terms of an FTA.

“Of course there are negotiations to be had but people understand each other.

“But what is slowing us up is the EU’s insistence on extra provision, notably the level playing field area, aspects of governance and of course there is no meeting of minds on fisheries.”

Barnier has warned the government that if the EU do not have the same access to British fishing waters, then member states will not endorse a future trading pact.

Last Friday Barnier warned, “The EU will not agree any future economic partnership that does not include a balanced, sustainable and long-term solution on fisheries, that is crystal clear.”

This week, Michael Gove has blasted Brussels for not accepting “their own logic” over access to British fishing waters, even though the UK is leaving the EU.

The Cabinet Minister provided an update on Monday over negotiations and the EU are making it difficult with the UK’s fishing, as they want the same rights as before Brexit.

Speaking in the Committee meeting Gove said, “This is one area where I think that the EU’s stance is particularly difficult and challenging.