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EU needs 'British pragmatism' to finalise agreement in Brexit trade talks, says Germany

Germany's Europe Minister Michael Roth said it took 'two to tango' to get the deal done. - AFP
Germany's Europe Minister Michael Roth said it took 'two to tango' to get the deal done. - AFP

 

The EU has always envied "British pragmatism", but much more is needed if there is going to be a free trade agreement with Brussels, Germany's Europe minister said on Tuesday.

In an open letter to the UK Government, Michael Roth said it was not helpful to "play games" during the negotiations and that both sides had to "make a clean, fair break and then remain friends".

He urged the UK to compromise on some of its red lines as negotiators met in Brussels for the last scheduled round of trade negotiations. Germany currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU.

Mr Roth said: "With readiness to compromise from both sides, with mutual trust and good will, a fair deal is still possible. But it is not helpful to play games.

"The kind of deal we are after has no winners and losers. What we need now is that much-vaunted British pragmatism of which we were always a little envious. We have made progress towards consensus on many points. On others, however, we still have some way to go. It is really high time we reached agreement."

He said that, if necessary, the EU was "well prepared" for a no trade deal exit at the end of the transition period on December 31, even if that would be a "huge disappointment".

Mr Roth warned that the Internal Market Bill (seen being discussed by Michael Gove in the video below), which overrides parts of the Withdrawal Agreement, recklessly jeopardised the peace process and was "casting a dark shadow" over the ongoing negotiations.

The UK and the European Commission remain at loggerheads over the governance structure of the deal, fishing rights and "level playing field" guarantees for state aid.

It emerged on Tuesday that British officials had sent five confidential draft legal texts to the commission, including on state aid and fisheries, in a bid to unblock the negotiations.

It was also reported that France was coming under pressure to be more "realistic" and compromise on its demands that the UK effectively remain part of the Common Fisheries Policy after Brexit.

The UK hopes to enter secret, intense tunnel talks in time to seal a deal by the October 15 EU summit, but Brussels has warned that will only happen if there is significant movement.

"We remain committed to working hard to reach agreement by the middle of October," a UK Government official said.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission said late on Monday night that the EU wanted an agreement. She called for "responsibility" because both the UK and EU economies were badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Ursula von der Leyen has called for 'responsibility' - John Thys/ AFP
Ursula von der Leyen has called for 'responsibility' - John Thys/ AFP

The British Government should stockpile animal food and medicines and make emergency plans to airlift vital supplies for pets and livestock after the end of the Brexit transition period, animal charities will warn the Environment Secretary on Wednesday.

Animals would suffer stress if forced to wait in long delays in ports, the groups, which include the RSPCA, will tell George Eustice in a letter.

It will say that the Government needs to set up dedicated rest stations on motorways in case of chaos at the border, which could lead to queues of up to 7,000 lorries in some Government no deal predictions

"We believe central and devolved governments need to make contingency plans for the stockpiling of veterinary medicines and animal feed," the letter, obtained by The Telegraph, says.