Brexit: 'Large gaps' remain after trade talks with Ursula von der Leyen

2020-12-10 13:29:20

"Very large gaps remain" between the UK and EU, despite a meeting between Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen aimed at breaking the Brexit trade deadlock, No 10 has said. And Mrs von der Leyen said the two sides were still "far apart". Talks between the UK's chief negotiator Lord Frost and the EU's Michel Barnier will resume in Brussels. But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said it was "unlikely" the negotiations would be extended beyond Sunday. After their meeting, the prime minister and European Commission president "agreed that by Sunday a firm decision should be taken about the future of the talks", a No 10 spokesperson added. And on Thursday morning, the EU set out the measures it would implement in the event of a no-deal scenario. The plan includes allowing aviation safety certificates to continue to apply to avoid the grounding of aircraft.