UK chief negotiator rules out fish for financial services Brexit deal

Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator has ruled out any deal giving European boats access to UK waters in return for better conditions for British financial services in the EU’s Single Market. The EU and the UK are deeply divided over fishing in free trade negotiations ahead of the next round of talks, which start on Monday, David Frost told peers in the European Union Select Committee on Thursday. Brussels also rejected British calls for an improved system of regulatory recognition for the City of London than the “equivalence” model currently on offer, during the last round of negotiations. Those talks ended in deadlock and mutual recrimination with both sides urging each other to drop their red lines. Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, and Phil Hogan, the EU’s trade commissioner, have both suggested that a “fish for financial services” compromise could be struck to break the deadlock between the two sides. Mr Hogan, who is Ireland's EU commissioner, said yesterday, "Perhaps the United Kingdom has come to the conclusion that there’s not going to be a deal.” “I don’t think fisheries is something we are going to link to anything,” Boris Johnson’s top Brexit official said. The Political Declaration, a joint document for the trade talks, said that a deal on fishing and financial services should be completed by July, ahead of the end of year deadline for the trade deal to be finalised. Mr Frost said he thought the deadline would be missed and repeated that the UK would not ask for an extension to the transition period to allow time for more trade negotiations beyond December 31. “I'm sure we'll carry on talking after June 30. Obviously, at some point, there will need to be a negotiation on the arrangements for 21, whether there's an agreement or not,” Mr Frost said. “If there isn't an agreement that will reflect the fact that we're in the independent coastal state, and we'll control access, and fishing in our waters at that point.” He added, “So, that is the reality that we have to contend with, if the EU doesn't evolve its position and try and reach an agreement with us.”

source https://news.yahoo.com/uk-chief-negotiator-rules-fish-095743491.html