The British government is making impossible demands over access to Europol databases in the negotiations over the future relationship with the EU, according to a leaked assessment of the UK’s position drawn up by the German government.

As talks between the two sides resumed via video calls this week, Britain’s negotiators not only refused to extend the transition period because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also stated the UK side’s eagerness to continue taking part in EU-wide data-sharing arrangements and even expanding their reach.

Timeline From Brefusal to Brexit: a history of Britain in the EU Show Brefusal The French president, Charles de Gaulle, vetoes Britain’s entry to EEC, accusing the UK of a “deep-seated hostility” towards the European project. Brentry With Sir Edward Heath having signed the accession treaty the previous year, the UK enters the EEC in an official ceremony complete with a torch-lit rally, dickie-bowed officials and a procession of political leaders, including former prime ministers Harold Macmillan and Alec Douglas-Home.

Referendum The UK decides to stay in the common market after 67% voted "yes". Margaret Thatcher, later to be leader of the Conservative party, campaigned to remain. 'Give us our money back' Margaret Thatcher negotiated what became known as the UK rebate with other EU members after the "iron lady" marched into the former French royal palace at Fontainebleau to demand “our own money back” claiming for every £2 contributed we get only £1 back” despite being one of the “three poorer” members of the community. It was a move that sowed the seeds of Tory Euroscepticism that was to later cause the Brexit schism in the party. The Bruges speech Thatcher served notice on the EU community in a defining moment in EU politics in which she questioned the expansionist plans of Jacques Delors, who had remarked that 80% of all decisions on economic and social policy would be made by the European Community within 10 years with a European government in “embryo”. That was a bridge too far for Thatcher. The cold war ends Collapse of Berlin wall and fall of communism in eastern Europe, which would later lead to expansion of EU. 'No, no, no' Divisions between the UK and the EU deepened with Thatcher telling the Commons in an infamous speech it was ‘no, no, no’ to what she saw as Delors’ continued power grab. Rupert Murdoch’s Sun newspaper ratchets up its opposition to Europe with a two-fingered “Up yours Delors” front page. Black Wednesday A collapse in the pound forced prime minister John Major and the then chancellor Norman Lamont to pull the UK out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism. The single market On 1 January, customs checks and duties were removed across the bloc. Thatcher hailed the vision of “a single market without barriers – visible or invisible – giving you direct and unhindered access to the purchasing power of over 300 million of the world’s wealthiest and most prosperous people". Maastricht treaty Tory rebels vote against the treaty that paved the way for the creation of the European Union. John Major won the vote the following day in a pyrrhic victory. Repairing the relationship Tony Blair patches up the relationship. Signs up to social charter and workers' rights. Ukip Nigel Farage elected an MEP and immediately goes on the offensive in Brussels. “Our interests are best served by not being a member of this club,” he said in his maiden speech. “The level playing field is about as level as the decks of the Titanic after it hit an iceberg.” The euro Chancellor Gordon Brown decides the UK will not join the euro. EU enlarges to to include eight countries of the former eastern bloc including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. EU expands again, allowing Romania and Bulgaria into the club. Migrant crisis Anti-immigration hysteria seems to take hold with references to “cockroches” by Katie Hopkins in the Sun and tabloid headlines such as “How many more can we take?” and “Calais crisis: send in the dogs”. David Cameron returns from Brussels with an EU reform package - but it isn't enough to appease the Eurosceptic wing of his own party Brexit referendum The UK votes to leave the European Union, triggering David Cameron's resignation and paving the way for Theresa May to become prime minister Britain leaves the EU After years of parliamentary impasse during Theresa May's attempt to get a deal agreed, the UK leaves the EU.

According to a German government report on the UK’s position in the Brexit talks, seen by the Guardian, Britain wants to “approximate the position of a member state as closely as possible” when it comes to working with Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency.

This included a desire to continue to access Europol’s central intelligence database (EIS) – a wish the German report, summarising the EU’s position, described as “not possible”.

Other data-sharing schemes the UK had expressed an interest in included the Schengen Information System (SIS II), a database used by European border control agencies that includes around 90m entries, as well as a vast collection of air passenger data (PNR), which British negotiators have proposed extending to cover those travelling on boats and by rail.

Britain’s request for special access to these databases has been met with particularly vocal opposition in Germany, which has until now been seen as a more moderating influence in the negotiations but where data protection is a highly sensitive topic.

Christian Petry, spokesperson for European affairs for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) that forms the German government with Angela Merkel’s conservatives, told the Guardian he was “very critical” of British claims to levels of control and influence on security affairs usually reserved for members of the EU and the passport-free Schengen zone.

“The Brexiteers have always disparaged the EU as undemocratic,” Petry said. “To now dictate to the EU as a third country how we should organise our inner security, that would indeed be undemocratic. It would not only be ‘cherry-picking on speed’, but set a fatal precedent. With what arguments could we respond to wishes from other states with similar ideas?”

The German Green party said Britain could only hope to take part in data-sharing schemes if it accepted the EU’s standards for data protection, and therefore the jurisdiction of the European court of justice.

“Otherwise we are endangering the basic rights of our citizens, which is not something we can tolerate,” said Franziska Brantner of the German Greens, who are currently second in polls to Merkel’s CDU. “Rights also come with responsibilities”.

UK officials have argued in the negotiations that they are making a pragmatic offer of strong cooperation and that a refusal to engage with the proposals will lead to a mutual loss in capability to fight crime and terrorism.

Sources suggested that those who claimed the UK was trying to attain the benefits of membership while outside the EU were misrepresenting the British position.

The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, has repeatedly emphasised that his stance builds on relationships the EU has with other so-called “third countries” not in the bloc.

But some German politicians are particularly indignant at the idea that the UK could continue to take part in the Schengen Information System (SIS), since the decision to allow Britain to take part in the scheme five years ago has already proven controversial.

A 2018 report by the Council of the European Union found that the UK was making improper use of the database by illegally copying classified personal information and sharing it with US companies.

“It is nothing short of brazen by the British government to want to take part in Europe’s largest police database in spite of repeatedly breaking its rules,” said Andrej Hunko, a spokesman on European affairs for Die Linke, the German left party.

“Instead, the commission must initiate an immediate expulsion from SIS, as officials in Great Britain still refuse to address a list of deficiencies compiled by the European commission in January.” Hunko said his party would “put up resistance” against the British proposals in Germany and at an EU level.

EU officials said the last week of negotiations covering trade, police and judicial cooperation and governance of the future relationship, had not made any significant progress. “There is a chasm,” said the source.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is expected to offer an uncompromising view when he speaks to reporters on Friday.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The safety and security of our citizens is the government’s top priority and we are working closely with the European Union to reach an agreement on law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation in criminal matters that works for both of us.

“The agreement should equip operational partners on both sides with the capabilities that help protect citizens and bring criminals to justice – promoting the security of all our citizens.”