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EU, UK Each Demand Concessions as Post-Brexit Talks Stall

Agence France-Presse

   BRUSSELS - British and EU negotiators have dug in their heels and each
   is demanding more concessions from the other as post-Brexit trade talks
   dragged on into Sunday, deadlocked on fishing rights.

   Sources from each side said that unless the other backed down on access
   to U.K. waters, Britain would leave the single market at midnight
   December 31 without a deal on cross-channel commerce.

   "We're continuing to try every possible path to an agreement, but
   without a substantial shift from the [European] Commission we will be
   leaving on WTO terms on 31 December," a British government source said.

   But an EU diplomat told Agence France-Presse that Brussels had made
   Britain its last offer on fishing and it was down now to U.K. Prime
   Minister Boris Johnson to decide whether he wanted a deal.

   "If Britain doesn't accept the latest EU offer, it will be a 'no deal'
   over fish," he warned. A European official said: "It's very blocked."

   The tough talk came as both sides engaged in intense negotiations to
   secure a pact before the end of the month. No deal would risk chaos at
   EU and U.K. borders, where a pre-deadline rush has caused long lines of
   lorries.

   Observers, however, noted that the fishing issue was about finding
   middle ground between offer and counteroffer in an economically small
   sector, while the much bigger other main issue, on guaranteeing fair
   trade competition rules, was closer to settlement.

   "It's all down to numbers now," the European diplomat said.

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