Britain tells Germany gaps in EU talks must be closed soon

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday that progress must be made in post-Brexit trade talks with the European Union in coming days to bridge “significant gaps”, his office said.

Johnson, who spoke to Merkel earlier on Sunday, repeated his belief that “while achieving a deal in the coming days would be beneficial for both sides, the UK was also prepared to end the transition period on Australia-style terms”.

“The prime minister emphasised that progress must be made in the coming days to bridge the significant gaps, in particular in the areas of fisheries and the level playing field, through the process of intensive talks between chief negotiators,” his office said in a statement.

Australia does not have a trade deal with the EU.

Johnson and Merkel - Reuters File Photo

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Belgium says 1666 royal charter grants its fishermen “eternal rights” to English waters

Flanders will use charter from 1666 to guarantee post-Brexit fishing rights Charter issued by England’s King Charles II from 1666 grants 50 fishermen from the city of Bruges ‘eternal access’ to British waters. By BARBARA MOENS

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The Flemish government argues it can invoke a charter that dates back to 1666 to secure its right to fish in U.K. waters if there's no deal on fisheries before the end of the Brexit transition period.

Fisheries is one of the remaining sticking points in the negotiations between the EU and the U.K. on a future relationship. If there is no deal before the end of the transition period, the U.K. could theoretically cut off access to U.K. waters for EU vessels.

In that case, the government of Flanders plans to fall back on a treaty issued by England's King Charles II in 1666 that grants 50 fishermen from the Flemish city of Bruges "eternal access" to British waters.

"Our goal is to reach a negotiated deal," a spokesperson for Flemish Fisheries Minister Hilde Crevits said. "But if we don't reach a deal, we could invoke the charter. It dates back to 1666 but has been confirmed by a U.K. lawyer in 1820."

After seeking legal guidance, the government of Flanders has sent a copy of the charter to the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Source: Politico