August 10, 2020

The Addendum states that, in line with the Terms of Reference agreed on 28 February 2020 by the UK and the European Commission and their Addendum published on 12 June 2020, and taking into account the current state of the negotiations after six rounds, the parties have agreed the following forward process to create the most conducive conditions for concluding and ratifying a deal before the end of 2020:

• negotiating rounds will take place in August and in September, unless agreed otherwise between the parties. Subject to any constraints required by the relevant national health recommendations, negotiating groups will meet physically, alternately in Brussels and London, in full, in the specialised sessions and in more restricted formats;
• the Chief Negotiators from both sides and their teams will also meet as necessary in a more restricted format to ensure progress in the negotiations. Specialised sessions may also work under their authority on issues of particular difficulty in the negotiations to ensure that parallel progress is achieved across all work streams; and
• in the first instance, the parties have agreed the following calendar:
• round 7: week of 17 August to 21 August (Brussels);
• (as necessary) meetings of the Chief Negotiators/their teams/specialised sessions: weeks of 24 and 31 August (London and Brussels);
• round 8: week of 7 September to 11 September (London);
• (as necessary) meetings of the Chief Negotiators/their teams/specialised sessions: weeks of 14 and 21 September (Brussels and London); and
• round 9: week of 28 September to 2 October (Brussels).

To read the Addendum on the Government’s website, click here.