The European Union has criticized the British government for the lack of progress in Brexit talks, voting to delay the next phase of negotiations on a future trade relationship with the United Kingdom.
Senior leaders in Brussels said on Tuesday that the talks regarding Britain’s exit from the EU had failed to make “sufficient progress” to justify discussing a post-Brexit free trade relationship with London.
Despite four rounds of talks, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said there was a lack of progress on three key issues necessary to be solved before talks can proceed, including the financial settlement, the future rights of EU citizens and the Irish border.
“We have not yet made the sufficient progress needed,” Juncker said. “Until now, I can’t say that we are ready to enter the second phase of the negotiations.”
Barnier also told the EU legislature that, “There are…