European Union sceptical of post-Brexit deal, reluctant to hold tunnel negotiation with UK

As the European Union and United Kingdom continue to struggle over Brexit, Brussels has reportedly sought to dismiss the optimism over a potential post-Brexit deal between both sides. This comes amid the emerging fears of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson failing to secure the required support of the key advisers and his party for the compromises needed in the final round of negotiations.

While the British government is yet to offer a way forward on some of the most controversial issues, according to The Guardian report, the senior EU officials expressed scepticism over reports of UK seeing a way to secure an agreement.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier earlier this week had reportedly told the 27 member states that there was a “more open atmosphere” at the negotiating table. However, as per reports Barnier has stressed on the ‘substantial differences of opinion’ that are still present on the issue of state aid to businesses. 

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EU expresses distrust on Johnson’s ‘word’

Meanwhile, the British government is eager to enter the intensive “tunnel” negotiations which permit both the EU and the UK to be creative with a reliable solution to most inflexible problems before the leaders’ summit on October 15. Brussels, however, is not convinced that Johnson has received the backing of his colleagues to commit to the future negotiations. 

The media outlet even quoted one of its sources expressing distrust on Boris Johnson’s “word” which is also the reason why the EU is reluctant to enter the tunnel negotiation and then “see what happens”. The union requires “more than” Britain’s chief negotiator David Frost telling the 27-nation-bloc that UK PM wants a deal.

The next round of UK-EU post-Brexit negotiations is scheduled to open next week with the union hoping that Frost would propose a compromise on the main issue of control of state aid to businesses. Recently, EU leader Charles Michel lashed out on Johnson's government for threatening to renege its parts of an already signed deal with the bloc.

"Access to our large market — the second-largest economic zone in the world, and the first in terms of international trade — will no longer be sold off," Michel said at United Nations (UN). "From now on, we will better enforce the level playing field, in a market open to those who respect its standards. Whether they leave our Union or want to move closer to it."

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Image/Inputs: AP