“There is very little time. We are at a difficult point in the talks,” a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters.
“It is clear that we will not be able to agree to an agreement that does not respect our basic principles of sovereignty and regaining control,” he added.
The transition period after Britain’s withdrawal from the EU ends on 31 December, and there is very little time left to reach an agreement on the future of the two sides, as both sides still need to ratify it.
If the agreement is not concluded and ratified by 31 December, customs tariffs will come into force between the EU and the UK, and companies on both sides will suffer, but especially in the UK.
Johnson’s office has reiterated that after the end of the transition period, Britain will control its own borders, regulate state subsidies and manage fishing in its waters.
The bureau said the government would also push forward two clauses in the bill next week that violate the agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, depriving the EU of any say in future trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of Britain.
Johnson’s spokesman emphasized that the Internal Market and Taxation Bill would form a safety net to protect Britain’s single market and the benefits of the Northern Ireland peace process.
