Barnier to update European Parliament on Brexit trade deal progress

The European Union’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier will update the Brussels parliament on the progress made after intensive efforts to secure a post-Brexit trade deal, the European Commission has confirmed.

Mr Barnier is engaged in face-to-face talks with his UK counterpart Lord Frost in the Belgian capital in a bid to bridge the gap on outstanding areas as they look to strike a deal before the transition period ends on December 31.

Commission spokesman Daniel Ferrie told a Brussels press briefing on Wednesday that the EU negotiator would update the European Parliament “later this afternoon”.

German MEP David McAllister tweeted: “This afternoon Michel Barnier will give the UK Coordination Group an update after intensive days in London and Brussels.

“I am looking forward to this important exchange at this crucial moment in the negotiations.”

The update comes after EU and UK talks got back on track following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to pause the negotiations last month after European leaders called for Britain to make concessions.

Mr Barnier later agreed that both sides would need to budge to move closer to a deal, a development that led to discussions recommencing.

Fisheries, state aid and the governance of any deal have continued to be obstacles in the path to an agreement, with time running out to prevent a no-deal fallout at the end of the year.

There were reports this week that there had been a breakthrough on fishing rights, although neither side would confirm it.

The Sun reported that the EU had agreed to adopt new scientific criteria that could see UK fishing quotas double, although the change would not come in for a number of years.

But Downing Street said on Tuesday there remained “significant gaps” on the “most difficult areas” in the talks.

Number 10 is pushing for future fishing negotiations to work on the principle of zonal attachment, a prospect the EU has repeatedly ruled out, including again this week.

Zonal attachment works on the premise that the country or jurisdiction where fish shoals spend most of their time – a calculation based on geographic catching records – should have control over access and quota levels, which would benefit the UK given its rich waters.