Talks on amending Brexit deal difficult, no solution in sight: European Union

Diplomats speculated that, if EU and UK negotiators could seal a deal over the weekend, May could come to Brussels on Monday to give it political endorsement and take it back to London just a day before the House of Commons votes on it.

Talks with Britain on amending its divorce deal with the European Union have made no progress and no solution is in sight, EU officials said on Wednesday, days before British lawmakers must vote on the plan to avoid a chaotic Brexit.

Diplomats said talks in Brussels led by British Prime Minister Theresa May’s chief lawyer, Geoffrey Cox, failed to yield a repackaged deal on Tuesday, with barely over three weeks to go before Britain’s scheduled exit on March 29.

Talks by lower-ranking officials were expected to continue on Wednesday but there was no clear schedule yet for further negotiations between Cox and the EU’s Michel Barnier.

“(EU Brexit negotiator) Michel Barnier has informed…that while the talks take place in a constructive atmosphere, discussions have been difficult,” said Margaritis Schinas, spokesman for the European Commission, the bloc’s executive.

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Britain and EU to hold more Brexit talks: spokesperson

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas announces that British Prime Minister Theresa May will come back to Brussels for more Brexit talks before the end of February. He also says that EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier will meet his UK ...

“No solution has been identified at this point that is consistent with the withdrawal agreement, including the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which will not be reopened,” Schinas told a news briefing after Barnier updated the Commission.

At the heart of the deadlock is the Irish “backstop”, an insurance policy the EU wants to ensure no return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit.