UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed on new terms as
Brexit talks regain momentum after Covid-19 recess.
In a statement published by Sky News, Johnson and senior EU
figures agreed that “new momentum” is needed in negotiations on a
post-Brexit trade deal.
Speaking during Monday videoconference with European Council
president Charles Michel, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
and European Parliament president David Sassoli, the Prime Minister said both
sides have reached to an agreement.
A joint UK-EU statement released after the meeting confirms
that both parties have “welcomed the constructive discussions on the
future relationship that had taken place” already – led by UK chief negotiator
David Frost and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier – which allowed “both
sides to clarify and further understand positions”.
“The parties agreed nevertheless that new momentum was
required,” read the statement in part.
BBC reports that the UK left the EU at the end of January, but
the transition period has not yet lapsed, meaning UK is still a member of the
EU’s single market and customs union.
The EU and UK have until the end of June 2020 –according to
the Withdrawal Agreement –to call for an extension to transition, but the UK
government has long rejected the idea.
On Friday, the EU publicly accepted that UK “no”
as definitive.
