If progress is not made, Great Britain will consider leaving negotiations with the EU in June

(Patria) – Although trying to convince the EU to agree to a trade agreement proposal similar to the one with Canada, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is simultaneously considering the possibility of leaving the negotiating table as early as June to prepare the country for a timely exit from the transition period at the end of the year.

The British government insists on 'regulatory freedoms' in its relations with the EU and does not accept any role for the European Court of Justice in dispute resolution.

Prime Minister Johnson's cabinet hopes to reach a 'broader draft' by June with the aim of finalizing the agreement by September. However, it has already been made clear that if no progress is made in the negotiations by June, the UK government would 'have to decide whether to shift its focus from negotiations exclusively to continuing preparations for exiting the transition period properly'.

This indicates once again that Johnson's government does not prioritize an agreement with the EU, or does not believe that diametrically opposed positions can be reconciled in such a short time, meaning neither side in the negotiations is willing to yield.

In this regard, Great Britain demands the following:

– A free market without tariffs, fees, or quantitative restrictions on trade;

– Competition and subsidy issues should not be subject to a dispute resolution mechanism in the final agreement;

– A separate fisheries agreement that would include the possibility of annual negotiations on access to each other's waters (while the EU insists that fisheries be part of the general agreement);

– An agreement on the equivalence of financial services finalized by the end of June.

The British Guardian writes that Johnson's government has rejected the EU's negotiating mandate presented on Tuesday, stating that the EU is seeking to impose 'burdensome obligations' that would jeopardize the UK's legal autonomy and its right to set its own rules.

The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, commented on the British stance, among others, saying that the EU does not intend to 'conclude an agreement at any cost'. He also warned that if there is a chance for an agreement by the end of the year, Britain will not be allowed to backtrack on previous commitments from the withdrawal agreement.

Negotiations between the EU and Great Britain on trade relations after the transition period officially begin at the beginning of March.