The European Union and Britain started a decisive week of talks on Monday on a new trade deal and implementing their divorce agreement before national leaders assess progress or the risk of a no-deal split on Thursday and Friday.

                                                    <p class="no_name">British cabinet office minister <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_person=Michael+Gove">Michael Gove</a> is set to attend a meeting of the joint committee responsible for implementing the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_location=Northern+Ireland">Northern Ireland</a> protocol, which his government is threatening to renege on if it does not get its way in negotiations.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">The three sticking points in talks so far remain the same: fisheries; state aid rules; and governance or dispute resolution.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">An EU diplomat said however that “the mood music was a bit better” after Mr Gove expressed confidence about securing a trade deal.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">“It’s high time that negotiations move forward, we need to make progress on issues like the level playing field, fisheries and governance,” the diplomat told Reuters on condition of anonymity.</p>
                                                                                                        <aside class="related-articles--instream has-3"/><p class="no_name">“The UK still has to restore trust after the Internal Market Bill escalation.”</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">Mr Gove meets a deputy head of the bloc’s executive Commission, Maros Sefcovic, on Monday in the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_organisation=Joint+Committee">Joint Committee</a> tasked with implementing the divorce treaty and now looking at the contentious new UK laws.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">“We are looking forward to continuing our discussions at the Joint Committee and working towards a satisfactory outcome for both sides,” a UK government spokeswoman said.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">Trade talks headed by the EU’s <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_person=Michel+Barnier">Michel Barnier</a> and the UK’s <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_person=David+Frost">David Frost</a> resume in <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_location=Brussels">Brussels</a> on Tuesday. Lasting until Friday morning and also due to cover energy cooperation and transport, they are the final round of negotiations scheduled so far.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday are expected to authorise more negotiations before their next summit on October 15th-16th.</p>
                                                    <p class="no_name">The EU says negotiators must seal a deal by the end of October or the first days of November at the latest, to leave enough time for ratification by the <a class="search" href="/topics/topics-7.1213540?article=true&amp;tag_organisation=European+Parliament">European Parliament</a> and some national parliaments so a deal can take effect from 2021 when Britain’s post-<a href="/news/world/brexit">Brexit</a> transition ends. </p>

                                                    <p class="no_name">- Reuters</p>