The EU and Britain ended their latest round of post-Brexit trade talks in a state of deadlock on Friday, with both sides urging the other to fundamentally change its strategy.
EU negotiator Michel Barnier said he was "disappointed" by Britain's lack of ambition - but also accused London of seeking the benefits of single market access without its responsibilities.
In London, at the end of a week of haggling by videoconference, Barnier's UK counterpart David Frost agreed that not a lot had been achieved.
Barnier said "no progress has been possible on the more difficult subjects," despite Britain now having provided suggested texts in almost all areas of disagreement. Britain left the European Union on January 31 and the sides have until the end of the year to agree a new basis for ties, barring an extension that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled out.
There now remains only one round of talks before an end of June deadline to decide whether talks are worth continuing.
"It is hard to understand why the EU insists on an ideological approach which makes it more difficult to reach a mutually beneficial agreement," Frost said after the talks.
"We very much need a change in EU approach for the next round beginning on June 1," he added.
The talks have stumbled on the same issues since they launched in March, just ahead of the coronavirus pandemic that has paralysed public life and devastated the European and UK economies.
"We're treading water.. There really is no progress and tempers picked up a bit more this session," said one European source close to discussions.
The EU insists any deal must include binding UK commitments to maintain EU standards on health, safety, state aid and the environment - commonly known as keeping the "level playing field".
"We are not going to bargain away our European values to the benefit of the British economy. Economic and trade fair play is not for sale. It is not a 'nice to have', it is a 'must have'," Barnier declared.
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