EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier complained that “the United Kingdom cannot impose this very short calendar for negotiations and at the same time not move, not progress on certain subjects that are important for the European Union.”
At the same time, “we cannot accept selective progress on a limited set of issues only. We need to find solutions on the most difficult topics,” he added. “The UK cannot refuse to extend the transition period and at the same time slow down discussions on important areas.” To be more specific, he said the UK “failed to engage substantially” on issues such as a future trade deal and that “we made no progress on fisheries”.
There will be two more rounds of talks in the week of May 11 and June 1, before a high-level meeting in June to review the negotiation progress. Barnier warned, “we must use these rounds to make real, tangible progress across all areas.”
