UK's PM heads to Brussels as Brexit trade talks end without deal

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to travel to Brussels in the coming days in a bid to wrest a last-minute post-Brexit trade pact with the European bloc. The latest round of negotiations broke up on Monday without agreement.

Boris Johnson will hold talks with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in a bid to thrash out a post-Brexit trade deal, just days before the 31 December deadline. - PRU/AFP

The two sides remain divided over fishing rights, rules for fair trade and an enforcement mechanism for regulatory standards after Britain withdraws from single market rules on 31 December.

"Talks are in the same position now as they were on Friday. We have made no tangible progress. It's clear this must now continue politically," a senior UK government source said.

"Whilst we do not consider this process to be closed, things are looking very tricky and there's every chance we are not going to get there."

This evening I spoke with @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen.

We have asked our Chief Negotiators and their teams to prepare an overview of the remaining differences to be discussed in a physical meeting in Brussels in the coming days.

Full statement: https://t.co/NcB2Aq9j2Q pic.twitter.com/cj7bmibDa3

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 7, 2020

Final conditions have not been met

After the latest session in Brussels -- and with just over three weeks until Britain leaves the single market -- UK Prime Minister Johnson talked to EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and secured an invitation to head over in person.

"We agreed that the conditions for finalising an agreement are not there due to the remaining significant differences on three critical issues: level playing field, governance and fisheries," Johnson and von der Leyen said in a joint statement.

• EU warns Brexit Brits to expect no more concessions as deadline looms

"We asked our chief negotiators and their teams to prepare an overview of the remaining differences to be discussed in a physical meeting in Brussels in the coming days."

Boris on the fringe of EU summit?

It was not immediately clear whether Johnson's visit would be a separate event, or whether he might be slotted in ahead of a EU summit that begins on Thursday, with the other 27 EU leaders meeting in person.

The announcement of Johnson's trip came after a pessimistic day of negotiations, during which chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier told sceptical MEPs that Wednesday was the effective deadline for a solution.

The upcoming year will be intense. Our priorities?

1️⃣ Beat #COVID19 and successfully launch our economic recovery, anchored in our climate & digital transitions.

2️⃣ Be more influential & less dependent. A committed player on the global playing field, promoting multilateralism. pic.twitter.com/E1NdRG5czC

— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 4, 2020

The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, held a video call with von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the agenda of Thursday's summit -- including a chance to take stock of Brexit.

Urgent contingency measures

All eyes were on the EU summit when the outline of a deal -- or an admission of the failure to find one -- will be put to the bloc's 27 leaders.

A senior EU diplomat said the leaders would either "welcome a deal" if there was one there, or demand urgent contingency measures in the event talks failed.