\n\u201cSpain [is] not convinced yet on Gibraltar and causing some serious waves\u201d \u2014 EU diplomat<\/em>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The plan is unpopular with Brexiteers in her own party because it will mean that after Brexit the U.K. is subject to EU rules that is has no control over, but it is central to Mays aim of maintaining near-frictionless trade in goods with the bloc. For the EU, it would jeopardize the single market by allowing unfair competition for British businesses.<\/p>\n While ambassadors were united in their desire to defend the integrity of the EU single market, there were also signs at the meeting of tensions between member countries over the final stages of the talks. While Spain has made no secret in recent days that it is not happy with the wording on future negotiations regarding Gibraltar, the diplomat from one founding EU27 country warned against pushing the U.K. too far and insisting on a text it could not sign up to. The diplomat said his countrys leader would only attend a hastily convened special summit in Brussels on Sunday if the agreement has been finalized by then.<\/p>\n \u201cLeaders cannot be involved in drafting and some of them have made clear they will show up only if the deal is closed,\u201d said a second EU diplomat.<\/p>\n The talks are now focused less on the 585-page draft Withdrawal Agreement published last week<\/a> that sets out the legally binding terms of Britains departure from the EU, but more on the political declaration that will be agreed alongside it. A much vaguer seven-page summary of that document setting out an outline of the U.K.s future relationship with the bloc has already been made public. Weyand told ambassadors she now expects that text to grow to 22 or 23 pages.<\/p>\n Gibraltar remains a point of contention and disagreement in Brexit talks | Jorge Guerrero\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n May has herself emphasized the vital nature of the document, telling the BBC on Sunday<\/a> that \u201cthe thing thats going to make a difference to peoples lives is the future relationship \u2026 Its in the national interest to get that deal right.\u201d<\/p>\n That sentiment was repeated at the meeting Tuesday evening, with one diplomat from a major EU country saying that it could not be approved by negotiators without signoff from member countries. After two years of EU27 unity during the negotiations, they could not \u201cfall at the final hurdle,\u201d the diplomat said.<\/p>\n On fisheries, Weyand told ambassadors there is still \u201cdivergence.\u201d The U.K. wants a Norway-style arrangement where catch quotas are renegotiated on an annual basis. But it has said this will result in less access than EU27 fleets currently enjoy. France and other countries are pushing for the political declaration to make clear that a future U.K.-EU free-trade deal will depend on the U.K. offering similar access to its waters as it currently does.<\/p>\n On Gibraltar, Weyand told ambassadors there is currently \u201ctotal blockage\u201d on the issue, one diplomat said. Spain is adamant the text must make clear that the EUs negotiations on its future relationship with the disputed territory must be conducted separately to those with the U.K. \u2014 and that they can only proceed with Madrids approval.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/GettyImages-658887996-714x475.jpg\"\/)
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