EU urges London to adjust demands

With just four months left to reach a deal, the European Union has accused the United Kingdom of seeking a trading relationship with the bloc too similar to that of an EU member.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Wednesday at a forum in Brussels, "Britain is demanding a lot more from the EU than Canada, Japan or other partners."

"We cannot and we will not allow this cherry picking," said Barnier. He also said that the UK "cannot have the best of both worlds" and stressed the point that "we will never compromise on our European values or on our economic and trade interests to the benefit of the British economy".

"In many areas it is looking to maintain the benefits of being a member state without the constraints," Barnier said. "It is looking to pick and choose the most attractive elements of the (EU) single market without the obligations."

Britain left the EU on Jan 31 after 47 years of partnership with the world's largest trading bloc, and is currently in a transition period due to expire at the end of the year. EU leaders now insist that London accept the economic consequences of looser ties.

The EU is open to an extension of this period if trade deals cannot be agreed, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly dismissed the idea of an extension.

Sticking points in negotiations are fisheries and the issue of the land border the UK shares with the EU between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Barnier said the UK remained inflexible despite the predicted economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The UK has seen the most deaths in Europe and one of the longest lockdowns, and is expected to see its economy hit harder than most other European countries, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

On Friday, the European Parliament will urge the UK to "urgently revise its negotiating position "after months of meetings have brought no agreement.

According to a public draft report seen by Reuters, the Parliament is set to say that "this cherry-picking approach is a no-go for the EU ... the EU will not agree to a deal at any cost".

Johnson is set to meet European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, and the chairman of the 27 EU leaders, Charles Michel, later this month to review the talks.