In September the UK Government announced plans to introduce its Internal Market Bill, including clauses which would break the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol agreed as part of Brexit negotiations last year. The EU was left furious by the legislation when it passed through the House of Commons and accused the UK of not negotiating in good faith.
Last month the House of Lords rejected the controversial clauses of the Bill and are sending it back to the Commons to be looked at again.
The Bill is expected to be voted on again by MPs next week when the Prime Minister is understood to be planning to reintroduce the aspects of legislation turfed out by peers.
In a video call to EU27 ambassadors this morning, Mr Barnier said passing the legislation would lead to a fundamental break down of trust in negotiations and effectively end trade deal talks.
However, despite the Frenchman's warning, Allegra Stratton, the Prime Minister's press secretary, confirmed the Prime Minister had not changed his mind on Bill.
Speaking this afternoon, Ms Stratton confirmed the Prime Minister was unmoved on the issue.
She said: "We need the clauses because they represent a legal safety net to protect the integrity of the UK's internal market.
"That hasn't changed."
She added: "The Prime Minister is confident and comfortable that the UK will be okay without a deal, so if a deal can be struck, that's all to the good but he's also confident that we can move towards trading on what he calls Australia terms."
As part of the divorce deal agreed between the Westminster and Brussels last year, the two sides vowed to set up a joint committee which would look at goods travelling from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland in the event that no trade deal was agreed by the end of 2020.
The committee would determine which were "at risk" of entering the EU Single Market via the border into the Republic of Ireland which goods should, as a consequence, be subject to trade tariffs.
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Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has previously admitted the clauses in the Internal Market Bill breaks international law in a "very specific and limited way" but were necessary to protect the integrity of the United Kingdom.
Given the clauses only come into effect in the event no trade deal is secured between the UK and EU, an agreement between the two negotiating teams before the Bill returns to the Commons next week would make the issue redundant.
Michel Barnier has been in London this week in a last-ditch bid to secure a deal with intense talks talking place last weekend and throughout the week.
However, talks between Mr Barnier and UK negotiator David Frost remain deadlocked with both sides struggling to come to an agreement on fishing and the so-called level playing field.
Both sides have just days left to agree a deal if it is to have enough time to be ratified before the transition period ends in less than a month.
An EU diplomat said: "We are quickly approaching a make or break moment in the Brexit talks.
"Intensive negotiations are continuing in London.
"As of this morning it is still unclear whether negotiators can bridge the gaps on issues like level playing field, governance and fisheries."
Despite the tensions, the Prime Minister's press secretary said Mr Johnson was "optimistic" of a breakthrough in talks.
She added: "The talks right now are ongoing and the Prime Minister has the greatest confidence in David Frost in the team."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMif2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmV4cHJlc3MuY28udWsvbmV3cy9wb2xpdGljcy8xMzY3NDUzL2JyZXhpdC1uZXdzLWV1LXVrLXRyYWRlLWRlYWwtYm9yaXMtam9obnNvbi1pbnRlcm5hbC1tYXJrZXRzLWJpbGwtbWljaGVsLWJhcm5pZXLSAYMBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzcy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3BvbGl0aWNzLzEzNjc0NTMvYnJleGl0LW5ld3MtZXUtdWstdHJhZGUtZGVhbC1ib3Jpcy1qb2huc29uLWludGVybmFsLW1hcmtldHMtYmlsbC1taWNoZWwtYmFybmllci9hbXA?oc=5
2020-12-02 14:44:00Z
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