With Brexit talks coming to a standstill on more than one occasion over the years, there is “still a deal to be done” between the UK and EU on post-Brexit trade, a minister has told the BBC ahead of talks resuming later today.
However, Environment Secretary George Eustice said “sticking points” on fishing and business rules remained.
British chief negotiator Lord Frost is on his way to Brussels for the talks, with the deadline for a deal approaching.
The Republic of Ireland’s foreign minister has said it is “in everybody’s interest” to reach an agreement.
Disagreements continue in relation to access to UK waters by the EU’s fishing fleets, another is what measures there should be to ensure a “level playing field” for businesses on both sides of the Channel.
If a deal is not reached, border checks and taxes will be introduced for goods travelling between the UK and the EU at the end of the year.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “There’s still a deal to be done, but there’s no denying that the end of last week was quite a setback.”
He added: “The sticking points remain – quite fundamental ones. We’ve been clear all along that we can only do an agreement if it respects our sovereignty.”
“I think we probably are now in the final few days in terms of deciding whether there can be an agreement.
“Of course, if the ambience warms up again and actually great progress is made and it is just about sorting out the detail, then you can always find more time, you can always extend.
“But I think unless we can resolve these quite fundamental divergences at the moment then we are going to have to take a position in the next few days.”
Mr Eustice also said the UK “cannot be the only country in the world that doesn’t control its own waters”.
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