We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Liam Halligan highlighted that the EU’s chief negotiator has backtracked on some of his statements during trade talks. As he outlined in 2017, Michel Barnier produced a chart showing that a “Canada-style” was the likely end point, adding that a “bespoke” deal was “a non-starter”. But in February, he said that this type of deal was no longer an option. He said: “A trade agreement that includes in particular fishing and includes a level playing field, with a country that has a very particular proximity – a unique territorial and economic closeness – which is why it can’t be compared to Canada or South Korea or Japan.”

Mr Barnier also claimed that Britain is so important that “special conditions apply”, but Mr Halligan highlighted that the EU agreed a series of FTAs with Efta countries in the 1970s – including Switzerland and Norway.

These nations then accounted for around a fifth of EU external trade, about the same as the UK now

Writing in the Telegraph, Liam Halligan added: “Brussels is petrified that outside the EU’s regulatory orbit, a more nimble Britain will thrive, enticing others to leave.

“But Barnier’s attempts to keep the UK ensnared in EU red tape have become unreasonable, and go against the EU’s legal duty to maintain good relations with its neighbours.”

A similar warning was issued by Conservative Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen, who told Express.co.uk that Mr Barnier was concerned about the free trade deals the UK could now strike with other countries around the world.

He even predicted that the UK – alongside its new trading allies – would replace the EU as the biggest trading partner.

He said: “If we join the Trans Pacific Partnership, it will be a bigger trading bloc than the EU.

“And they aren’t asking to take our fish or be governed by their laws and courts.”

Government sources have said this week that the EU’s approach to trade talks has resulted in “paralysis”.

Brexit negotiations have stalled in recent months over two key issues – fisheries and regulatory alignment.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to fulfil a Leave campaign promise that the UK will take back control of its waters post-Brexit.

Previously, EU vessels had free access to British fishing grounds, leaving many fishermen in the UK aggrieved.

DON’T MISS

EU ‘petrified’ as Barnier’s ‘unreasonable’ Brexit demands backfire [INSIGHT]

SNP on brink: How party was branded ‘thugs’ after ‘campaign of fear’ [ANALYSIS]

EU divide: How member states fumed at ‘wrong’ EU army plans [INSIGHT]

However, the EU’s chief negotiator – Michel Barnier – has warned Mr Johnson he cannot secure access to European markets without allowing EU vessels into UK waters.

The UK is also looking to avoid EU regulations – giving the country more freedom to set its own laws on trading standards.

A Government source said this week: “The particular way the EU insisted on parallelism led to paralysis. Obviously everything needs to be up for discussion, but it makes no sense to have everything going at the speed of the most difficult issues.

“Now they need to adapt their approach to make sure talks throughout the summer don’t suffer from unnecessary roadblocks.”

Source: Read Full Article