Michel Barnier has warned EU ambassadors that the latest negotiations with Boris Johnson’s government have been “difficult”, with it appearing increasingly unlikely that agreement can be found by the time of an EU summit later this week.
After a weekend of intensive talks in Brussels, the EU’s chief negotiator offered a downbeat assessment of the chances of settling the major differences that remain between the two sides.
Speaking to diplomats representing the EU27 on Sunday evening, in a restricted session due to recent leaks, Barnier is said to have spoken of his disappointment at the lack of progress according to EU sources.
“A lot of work remains to be done,” an official statement from the commission said.
Johnson executed a major policy U-turn at the end of last week by accepting that there could not be a customs border on the island of Ireland. But his alternative proposal of a pared down version of Theresa May’s 2017 customs partnership is an untested system that raises challenges with so little time before the UK is due to leave the EU.
Under the plan, Northern Ireland would leave the EU customs union but the UK would agree to enforce the bloc’s customs rules and tariffs on goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland. There would be a rebate system to compensate businesses impacted.
Negotiations will continue throughout Monday and Barnier will brief EU ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday on whether a deal is in place for the leaders to sign off.
EU sources suggested that a Brexit extension seemed all but certain given the amount of ground that needs to be covered by the negotiators.
One EU diplomat said: “The Northern Ireland-only backstop proposed in February 2018 could be landed by Thursday, but not a bespoke plan. A technical extension looks probable”.
Earlier on Sunday, the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said he would back such a prolongation of the UK’s membership.
“It’s up to the Brits to decide if they will ask for an extension,” Juncker told the Austrian newspaper Kurier on Sunday. “But if Boris Johnson were to ask for extra time – which probably he won’t – I would consider it unhistoric to refuse such a request.”
