UK Brexit Secretary David Davis returned to Brussels this week for the third round of discussions with the European Commission on the UK’s departure from the EU, with meetings fronted for the EU by French politician Michel Barnier.

The official agenda listed citizens’ rights; the financial settlement, ie the UK’s ‘bill’ for leaving the EU; issues relating to Northern Ireland; and governance of the withdrawal agreement. No further public statements were due to be made until Thursday, although it was clear at the start of the week’s discussions that disagreements about how to approach the negotiations still exist.

In a joint press conference at the beginning of the week’s talks, the mood was cordial but tensions on both sides were embedded in the lead negotiators’ statements. Mr Davis spoke of the requirement for “flexibility and imagination from both sides”, while Barnier referred to the need to remove “ambiguity” from the UK’s position.

The Brexit Secretary said: “We’ve had a busy few weeks. Since the last round of talks, the UK Government has published a large number of papers covering important issues related to our withdrawal, and our vision for the deep and special partnership we want with the European Union in the future.”

Barnier replied that he welcomed the UK Government papers and had “read them very carefully. But we need UK positions on all separation issues to make sufficient progress. The EU 27 and European Parliament stand united. We will not accept separation issues that are not addressed properly,” he continued.

European Parliament president Guy Verhofstadt demonstrated in part the EU institutions’ united stance referred to by Barnier, but was willing to hold the European Commission to account on the need for detailed thinking: “There is slow progress in general to do with the fact that we need from both sides position papers on every issue before you can really start,” said Verhofstadt, who is also the former Belgian prime minister.

“It is impossible to agree on a withdrawal agreement in 14 to 15 months. The more time we lose in coming months, the more clear it is becoming that the transition period can only be a promulgation of the status quo.”

Labour proposals

Meanwhile, Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, used an article in The Observer at the start of the week to announce that his party now proposes that the UK remain inside an EU customs union and single market in a transitional phase in order to ensure the flow of goods and services between the UK and EU.

“We need a transitional Brexit deal that provides maximum certainty and stability,” said Sir Keir, criticising the “bland and noncommittal” UK Government Brexit policy papers.