Kristian Jensen, pictured in January , said striking a Brexit deal ‘is not rocket science’ and is within reach ‘if the political will is there’
The EU is playing a ‘game’ by stalling Brexit talks in a row over the divorce bill and should reach a ‘speedy’ deal with Britain, Denmark’s finance minister has said.
Kristian Jensen said striking a deal ‘is not rocket science’ and within reach ‘if the political will is there’.
He urged Brussels to stop moaning that there is not enough time or money to strike a deal and said they will need to reach a ‘political compromise’.
Britain is eager to to move on to the next stage of Brexit negotiations and start talks on what Britain’s future trade relationship with the bloc will look like.
But EU officials have stubbornly refused to so far, claiming that not enough progress has been made on the Brexit divorce bill.
Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Jensen said: ‘In any political negotiations, there is not enough time, not enough money, not enough this, not enough that. This is part of the game.
‘Because what we are dealing with here is not rocket science. We are not speaking about putting a man on Mars or solving the problem of CO2 emissions.
‘We are now on the same page … In my view it is rather important we get into a more close and more speedy process on concluding some of the issues.’
He said neither said will win ‘100 per cent’ and instead called for a political compromise to be struck.
The comments are a boost for Britain as Theresa May gets ready to try to pile the pressure on Brussels to stop dragging its feet and get on to trade talks.
She will today say the ‘ball is in their court’ and Britain will not make any more concessions until the EU agrees to start trade talks as she gives an update on the Brexit negotiations to Parliament later today.
Theresa May, pictured heading into No10 today, will warn EU leaders that the ball is ‘in their court’ on Brexit talks as she urges Brussels to move on to trade discussions
Brexit Secretary David Davis, pictured with the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels in September. The pair will meet again later this week for the fifth rounds of Brexit talks
She will tell MPs: ‘A new, deep and special partnership between a sovereign UK and a strong and successful European Union is our ambition and our offer to our European friends.
‘Achieving that partnership will require leadership and flexibility, not just from us but from our friends, the 27 nations of the EU.
‘And as we look forward to the next stage, the ball is in their court. By approaching these negotiations in a constructive way, we can prove the doomsayers wrong.’
Meanwhile, British civil servants will kick off the fifth round of Brexit talks in Brussels today.
Although Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier will not meet until later in the week.