EU pushes for info on UK’s post-Brexit-State-Aid plans

The EU is pleading with the British government to reveal the plans it has for its post-Brexit state-aid policy, otherwise there is a serious risk that a deal on the two sides’ future relationship won’t be reached.

Bloomberg reports that “with just weeks remaining to secure a wide-ranging trade accord, the U.K. has so far rebuffed EU demands to publicly set out its planned rules for granting subsidies to business after the end of this year.”

A British official said the government would publish its plans in the next few weeks — but at a timing of its choosing rather than to satisfy the EU. The bloc’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has so far refused to allow progress on other issues until the U.K. engages on state aid.

Bloomberg added that one EU official described the U.K.’s approach as reckless, accusing the government of wasting many months when the two sides could have been making progress toward a deal. A second official said the absence of a clear plan on state aid was the biggest underlying problem in the negotiations and fueling a lack of trust between the two sides.

“We do not see how, by putting off the more difficult matters until later, we could come to a better agreement,” Barnier said last week. “Our British partners will have to be finally ready to present us with concrete and constructive proposals during the next round.”

Significant progress during the next negotiating round starting Sept. 7 in London is vital if the talks are to reach a successful conclusion in October. Talks ended last week with both sides accusing the other of causing deadlock.