By Rudy Ruitenberg
Nov 25, 2020, 9:04 PM – Updated on Nov 25, 2020, 9:04 PM
Word Count: 305
The EU and the U.K. remain “extremely far apart” on the topic of fishing rights and there’s no convergence on the rules for fair competition, Le Drian said in a hearing of the foreign affairs committee on Wednesday.

“The U.K. continues to drag out the discussions on side issues and is playing with the calendar,” Le Drian said. “We will not let the schedule take precedence over the content. It’s up to the British to abandon tactical postures and make the necessary gestures.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the coming days will be “decisive” for the talks and referenced a similar set of obstacles when she addressed the European Parliament Wednesday morning.

The EU is studying procedures to allow a possible agreement to come into effect, even provisionally, from Jan. 1, according to Le Drian. He said the EU won’t be forced into a deal by the timetable, and British openings “remain insufficient to date.”

Brexit Talks Entering Decisive Days, EU’s Von Der Leyen Says

“We hope for an agreement, but note that as of today we are not in step with being able to obtain it,” Le Drian said. “Sometimes, it’s better to have no deal than a bad deal.”

Le Drian repeated France’s stance that fishing won’t be used to extract trade-offs from the British in other areas. He said the U.K. is still seeking almost all of the fishing rights that EU boats have in British waters and there is disagreement over access to the area between 6 miles and 12 miles off the British coast where France claims historic rights in the Channel.

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