Little sign of progress as fourth round of Brexit talks end

European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (R) and the British Prime Minister's Europe adviser David Frost. Photo by OLIVIER HOSLET/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) - Credit: POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Talks between Britain and the EU have ended with little sign of progress on a post-Brexit trade deal.

The latest four days of negotiations marked the final opportunity for the two sides to move the process forward before a potentially make-or-break high-level summit later this month.

The UK has until the end of June to seek an extension to the current transition period – which finishes at the end of the year – to allow more time for discussions, something Boris Johnson has vowed he will not do.

The latest talks got off to an unpromising start with a series of testy exchanges between London and Brussels before the official online negotiations had begun.

The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier publicly accused the UK of backtracking on previously agreed commitments, warning that the EU would not sign up to a deal ‘at any cost’.


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Downing Street hit back charging the EU with making a series of ‘unbalanced’ demands binding the UK to EU laws and standards to an unprecedented degree for a trade deal.

The two sides are also deadlocked over fisheries, with the UK resisting EU demands for continued long-term access to British waters.

Both sides are expected to officially comment on the talks on Friday.