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The T\u00e1naiste says Brexit negotiations are entering a very important week.<\/p>\nThe T\u00e1naiste says Brexit negotiations are entering a very important week.<\/p>\n
Simon Coveney says there is still work to do on the outstanding issues. The main one is how to avoid a hard border with the North.<\/p>\n
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also says there is no agreement yet on the issue and played down reports a deal could be close.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels, Simon Coveney says there is still progress to be made.<\/p>\n
“Clearly this is a very important week for Brexit negotiations,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The two negotiating teams have really intensified their engagement.<\/p>\n
“The support and solidarity for that work is very strong but the issues aren’t new.<\/p>\n
“There is still clearly work to do between the two negotiating teams.”<\/p>\n
Brexit negotiations remain deadlocked over measures to prevent a hard border between the UK and Ireland.<\/p>\n
Officials from both sides were engaged in talks which began on Sunday and lasted until 2.45am on Monday but failed to produce a decisive breakthrough.<\/p>\n
Downing Street said that there were \u201csubstantial issues still to be overcome\u201d in relation to the \u201cbackstop\u201d measure aimed at ensuring the frontier between Northern Ireland and Ireland remains much the same as it is now no matter what happens in the wider Brexit trade deal.<\/p>\n
The British Prime Minister\u2019s official spokesman said: \u201cWe have made good progress in the negotiations in relation to the withdrawal agreement but there are substantial issues still to be overcome in relation to the Northern Irish backstop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brussels\u2019 chief negotiator Michel Barnier told ministers from the 27 remaining EU nations at a meeting of the general affairs council that key issues remained unresolved.<\/p>\n
The European Council released a statement to say: \u201cMichel Barnier explained that intense negotiating efforts continue, but an agreement has not been reached yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome key issues remain under discussion, in particular a solution to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Germany\u2019s Europe minister Michael Roth said: \u201cWe all know the clock is ticking and we must now come to a good outcome. We don\u2019t have much time left.\u201d<\/p>\n
His French counterpart Nathalie Loiseau said: \u201cThe ball is in the British court. It is a question of a British political decision.\u201d<\/p>\n
A key sticking point is Mrs May\u2019s call for a UK-wide backstop measure rather than the Northern Ireland-only provision proposed by the EU.<\/p>\n
The lack of decisive progress in Brussels came as Mrs May\u2019s domestic position appeared even more difficult.<\/p>\n
Further details of the crunch Chequers meeting in July revealed a series of ministers voiced concerns about her strategy before ultimately supporting it.<\/p>\n
Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson and Chancellor Philip Hammond were among Remain-supporting ministers who raised concerns about the Chequers plan, the BBC reported.<\/p>\n
Mr Javid described the proposal for a common rule book with the EU for goods and agriculture as \u201cvery worrying\u201d, while Mr Hammond questioned whether the 27 other countries in the union would accept such a plan, the broadcaster said.<\/p>\n