EU, UK HOOKED ON FISH BUT WON’T THROW THE ROD ON TRADE TALKS

Wrangling over a post-Brexit trade pact between the EU and Britain brought no breakthrough over the weekend, stoking fears that the sides will be unable to break the impasse before year's end, Ella Joyner reported for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

"Difficult and significant differences" remain unresolved with only 10 days left to strike a deal, according to a senior British government source. A deadlock over fisheries - a relatively tiny issue in economic terms - seems to be blocking a deal. But neither side is prepared to give up just yet: Talks are to continue Monday.

"We continue to explore every route to a deal that is in line with the fundamental principles we brought into the negotiations," the British source said. The European Parliament had named Sunday as the last opportunity for an agreement on future relations to be reached so that they can properly scrutinize it before ratification.

It is now too late for the European Parliament to properly scrutinize and ratify any deal the EU and Britain can thrash out before the end of the year, a leading EU lawmaker warned late on Sunday night.

Therefore, there can be no formal approval process by EU lawmakers, David McAllister, who heads the legislature's UK coordination group, said, adding that he would call a committee meeting for Monday. Deadlines have repeatedly been blown in the Brexit crisis. London has repeatedly said that December 31 is its final moment for a deal.

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