![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/2.45168855.jpg\")
Boris Johnson\u2019s ambition to get a full trade deal negotiated with Brussels by the end-of-year deadline is \u201cjust not possible\u201d, the EU\u2019s trade commissioner has said.<\/p>\nBoris Johnson\u2019s ambition to get a full trade deal negotiated with Brussels by the end-of-year deadline is \u201cjust not possible\u201d, the EU\u2019s trade commissioner has said.<\/p>\n
Phil Hogan said on Thursday that negotiators were \u201ccertainly\u201d not going to be able to tie up everything on the future relationship between the bloc and the UK in the time frame.<\/p>\n
The comments of the EU\u2019s top trade negotiator came after European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen met with the British Prime Minister in Downing Street last week.<\/p>\n
Mr Hogan said Ms von der Leyen came out of that meeting thinking \u201cwe have to prioritize\u201d on aspects of the agreement if the UK is to exit the transition period at the end of 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly by the end of the year we are not going to get everything that\u2019s in the 36-page document on the future relationship agreed because Prime Minister Johnson decided we are going to have everything concluded by the end of the year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just not possible. Especially if we have to make a decision about the transition by July 1.\u201d<\/p>\n
I think we’ve seen that putting ourselves into timelines in the last few years have not been that helpful, especially in the way it played out in the House of Commons<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson has repeatedly insisted the UK will not ask for an extension by the summer deadline to make that request.<\/p>\n
Mr Hogan, a former minister and an ally of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, said the EU was \u201ccertainly open to suggestions\u201d on how to manage the situation politically but added that the \u201cwisest thing\u201d would be to not set deadlines.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve seen that putting ourselves into timelines in the last few years have not been that helpful, especially in the way it played out in the House of Commons,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Hogan made the comments to former EU trade commissioner Lord Mandelson at an event at the RSA in central London, where he was appearing on a video-link from Washington DC.<\/p>\n
In the US, Mr Hogan has been discussing transatlantic trade with president Donald Trump\u2019s representatives.<\/p>\n
He advised that the UK can ignore American threats that it will not share intelligence if Britain accepts technology from Chinese firm Huawei in its 5G networks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a bit of saber-rattling. I don\u2019t think that will actually happen at the end of the day,\u201d Mr Hogan told the Labour peer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody has an interest in making sure that we are safe and I think the United States \u2026 at the end of the day, you can call their bluff on that one.\u201d<\/p>\n