Possible Clues:

• In two cases, I hid ticket — an insurmountable difficulty
• Following Italy, politician behind European standstill
• Stalling of negotiations as one representative finds advantage lessened
• No progress here as one million rail travellers halved
• Negotiator's problem
• Dead end - my crosswords aren't innovative
• Situation of deadlock
• Island motorway, out of date, causing standstill
• A stand-off, as the out-of-date might say
• Being such a silly mischiefmaker, 'e leads to deadlock