UK and EU speed up negotiations on Brexit

he United Kingdom and the EU They will meet at least twice a week in Septemberfrom both sides They are looking to get out of the deadlock before the October 31st Brexit deadline.

The Prime Minister's government, Boris JohnsonHe called on the EU to intensify its talks at a meeting between David Frost, envoy of the United Kingdom, and European Commission officials in Brussels on Wednesday, said a Commission spokesman.

However, both parties seemed to minimize the possibility of imminent progress. "They stay at a distance on key issues" Johnson's office said in a statement. The EU said that it is still waiting for the "concrete proposals" from the UK.

The prime minister must convince the potential rebels of his own conservative party that he is about to reach an agreement with the bloc before a confrontation in parliament when he will meet again next week.

Some conservatives, including former finance minister Philip Hammond, have threatened to vote against the government in the House of Commons to block a brexit without an agreement, but could be persuaded to wait if an agreement is seen on the horizon.

"The time has come for both parties to accelerate the pace," Johnson said in a statement.

"The increase in the number of meetings and discussions is necessary if we want to have the possibility of reaching an agreement before we leave, on October 31, there is no but," added the Premier. Minister.

Johnson got Wednesday the approval of Queen Elizabeth II to suspend Parliament from mid-September to mid-October, limiting the time allotted to parliamentarians to debate the bloc's divorce.

The decision to step up talks comes after the Johnson government discovered an opportunity last week in meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

How Brexit can affect the EU-Mercosur Agreement

The two leaders seemed to soften their comments about the Brexit withdrawal agreement and the need to maintain the so-called "backstop" of the Irish border, a British official said Tuesday under cover of anonymity.

Johnson demanded that the EU remove the safety net, a safeguard mechanism aimed at keeping the border free from checks after the Brexit, but is despised by its supporters, who argue that the UK will remain bound to the bloc.