⁍ Talks on a trade deal are deadlocked, with neither wanting to move first to offer concessions.

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⁍ A no-deal finale to Britain’s five-year Brexit drama would disrupt the operations of manufacturers, retailers, farmers and nearly every other sector.

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⁍ European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic repeated on Monday that the EU still wanted a trade deal but not ‘at any cost

– With less than three months to go until Britain leaves the European Union, negotiations are at a dead end—but the EU says it’s not going to hold its breath for a last-minute deal. “The European Union is ready to work until the last minute for a good agreement for both parties,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic told reporters after meeting with Britain’s point man on the divorce agreement, Michael Gove, Reuters reports. “It has to be a fair agreement for both sides—we are not going to sign an agreement at any cost,” Sefcovic said. Britain wants the EU to “go that extra mile, to come closer to us on the points that remain for discussion,” Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said. Britain and the EU have until Dec. 31 to reach a deal that keeps the UK in the EU customs union and ensures there’s no hard border between the UK’s Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which is an EU member state, the AP reports. The Irish border—the only land border between the UK and the EU—is an important post-Brexit issue because it’s the only land bridge between the UK and the EU. Britain and the EU have said there can be no customs union between the UK and the EU.