European Commission President sees progress in Brexit negotiations | NOW

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, reports that progress has been made in recent days in the negotiations for a Brexit deal. She said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday that steps have been taken, especially in the field of British state aid.

According to Von der Leyen, there is a rapprochement from the British regarding the establishment of a body that supervises state aid that the British give their own companies. Brussels would like an independent regulator, but no agreement has yet been reached with the United Kingdom. However, both parties have come closer together on this subject.

It is one of the three sticking points in the negotiations between the EU and the United Kingdom. For example, both parties still disagree about fishing, with the question whether Dutch fishermen, among others, will be able to access British waters after Brexit.

The British officially left the European Union on January 31 of this year. Currently, there is still a transition phase, in which trade between Europe and the UK is subject to the same rules as before the exit. This phase will end at the end of this year.

In less than a month and a half, both parties must therefore have reached an agreement. Deadlines have already been set for this agreement several times, but each time that deadline has not been met. In addition, a small hitch was added this week, because one of the negotiators was found to be infected with the corona virus.