Brexit deal: Significant differences still remain

UK PM Boris Johnson. Pic/AFP

European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday set off one of the most intense days in the long-running Brexit trade negotiations with a pre-dawn debriefing of the 27 member states to see if a deal is still possible with London ahead of the Jan 1 deadline.

In the evening, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will have his second phone call with EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in barely 48 hours, to decide whether to pull the plug on an agreement that could cost hundreds of thousands of jobs on both sides and disrupt cross-Channel trade for years to come.

Both sides acknowledge that "significant differences remain" on three essential points, although there are indications that the disagreements over EU fishing rights in UK waters after Britain's departure from the bloc becomes a full reality on Dec 31 have narrowed over the past few days.

There remain major issues with legal oversight of any trade deal and standards of fair play that the UK needs to meet to be able to export in the EU. If talks continue after Monday, they will be closing in on a two-day EU summit where German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron will be major players.

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