Brexit trade talks are set to continue into the weekend after it was reported an offer was made by the European Union to return up to 18% of fish caught in UK waters.
According to RTÉ News, the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier is said to have briefed member states on the offer this morning, Friday 27 November.
The proposal to hand back 15-18% of fish caught in UK waters by EU fleets could be worth up to €117 million to the British fishing industry.
Fishing rights are among the three main stumbling blocks in the path to a trade deal between the UK and EU, as the end of the Brexit transition period looms less than five weeks from now.
TheJournal.ie reports that Barnier will head to London this weekend for face-to-face talks, with the UK’s lead negotiator David Frost saying a deal was still possible but it “must fully respect UK sovereignty”.
The news of the quota offer has come as a surprise to many in Brussels, with sources of one BBC journalist saying the figures involved were among many discussed in recent weeks and would be a “very high price to pay” for Ireland and other EU fishing countries.
EU sources have expressed surprise at reports that their chief negotiator Michel Barnier will soon propose they give up between 15 and 18 per cent of their fishing quota in UK waters as part of a Brexit trade deal. 1/
— Nick Beake (@Beaking_News) November 27, 2020
RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.