Number 10 warns EU they must 'kick things into gear' over trade talks or risk no deal

The European Union needs to "kick things into gear much faster", government sources warned on as they said foot dragging over negotiations would leave it "too late" to agree a deal. On Tuesday, the UK will enter into its fourth round of trade talks with Brussels and continue until Friday. Speaking ahead of the talks, Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, accused Britain of not keeping its commitments and said: "The UK has been taking a step back - two steps back, three steps back - from the original commitments.” However a senior British government source said: “It is the UK that is driving any progress being made in this negotiation. The Commission are either not ready or not willing to inject momentum. “They need to put some political reality into their approach, and appreciate that they cannot use their usual tactic of delay to drag the talks into the Autumn. By then it will be too late, as businesses need to know what to prepare for with as much time as is practicable.” The last round of talks ended in mutual recrimination, with the EU and the UK deeply divided over fishing. Britain’s chief negotiator ruled out giving European boats access to UK waters in return for better conditions for British financial services in the EU’s Single Market. The Political Declaration, a joint document for the trade talks, said a deal on fishing and financial services should be completed by July, ahead of the end of year deadline for a trade deal to be finalised. The formal deadline for any extension to the transition period is next month, with Downing Street repeatedly saying it will not extend the transition period.

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