EU must 'internalise and accept' that UK is independent state, says Brexit negotiator David Frost
Telegraph, 23 Jul 2020
Until the EU has "internalised and accepted" that the UK is an independent state a trade deal will be "difficult", David Frost has said.
Giving an interview after his counterpart gave a press conference, the UK's chief negotiator said the team would work "energetically" to get a deal but it was possible that one would not be reached.
Some progress had been reached around the role of the ECJ and the structure of a future agreement, he noted.
But the outstanding issues such as the level-playing field and fisheries were "intrinstic to our future as and independent state", Mr Frost said.
"The EU has heard some of [our argument], but not all of it," he saaid. "The EU has not recognised it needs to adapt.
"It is clear that until the EU has internalised and accepted that we are independent state... it will be difficult to reach an agreement."
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Giving an interview after his counterpart gave a press conference, the UK's chief negotiator said the team would work "energetically" to get a deal but it was possible that one would not be reached.
Some progress had been reached around the role of the ECJ and the structure of a future agreement, he noted.
But the outstanding issues such as the level-playing field and fisheries were "intrinstic to our future as and independent state", Mr Frost said.
"The EU has heard some of [our argument], but not all of it," he saaid. "The EU has not recognised it needs to adapt.
"It is clear that until the EU has internalised and accepted that we are independent state... it will be difficult to reach an agreement."
Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/07/23/boris-johnson-scotland-visit-brexit-news-lockdown-update/?WT.mc_id=tmg_youtube_offsite_televideo-youtubevideo_July23Brexit&utm_source=tmgoff&utm_medium=tmg_youtube&utm_content=offsite_televideo&utm_campaign=tmg_youtube_offsite_televideo-youtubevideo_July23Brexit
Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
