Comuniq.EU

UK MPs vote down Theresa May’s Brexit deal by 391 to 242

Lawmakers in the UK’s House of Commons have voted against Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The government had claimed it had secured “legally binding” changes to its withdrawal agreement…

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Updated – Brexit debate at the Commons

British Parliament is preparing to vote on a draft Brexit deal secured by Prime Minister Theresa May and EU negotiators. But opposition lawmakers, including Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, have vowed…

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What are the alternatives to May’s deal?

The options range all the way from a no-deal Brexit to a second referendum that could result in the UK staying in the bloc. After another big defeat for Mrs May’s deal,…

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May’s deal likely to be rejected as Tory ERG declares opposition to it

The European Research Group's (ERG) legal panel, set up to analyse the revised deal, said the prime minister's updated exit plan did not meet the government's own tests. It means the deal…

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Brexit must happen by May 23 or the UK will have to elect MEPs

In a letter to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned that the United Kingdom must leave the European Union by the time…

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Legal risk remains unchanged’ – Attorney General’s advice on latest assurances might have sealed fate of Brexit Deal

The Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has published his legal advice on the assurances Theresa May negotiated in Strasbourg last night. He said the "legal risk remains unchanged" of the UK being stuck…

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Will Monday’s changes secure support for May’s Brexit Deal?

Theresa May has called for MPs to “come together” to back her deal after claiming to have secured the legally binding changes parliament wanted to ensure the EU cannot trap…

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Do dogs want their ‘woof’ on Brexit?

Campaigners from "Wooferendum" have one thing to say about Brexit — it's a dog's dinner. The group served up "porky pies" and Eton Mess to dozens of canines dressed in…

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May to have late meetings in Strasbourg ahead of tomorrow’s vote

Theresa May will meet Jean-Claude Juncker in Strasbourg tonight amid rising expectations that she will finalise a deal to present to Parliament tomorrow. The Telegraph reports that the trip was first…

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Over 270 financial firms fleeing Britain to the EU over Brexit

A report released by a London think tank on Monday said that 275 financial firms are in the process of transferring a combined €1.06 trillion worth of funds, assets and staff…

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EU to add Bermuda to tax haven list

European Union finance ministers are set to add the British overseas territory of Bermuda to the bloc's blacklist of tax havens on Tuesday. But Reuters reports that Italy is objecting…

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No-deal Brexit risking the downfall of UK vehicle repair industry

Up to 1,000 companies in the UK vehicle repair industry could collapse within two weeks of a no-deal Brexit, with many more forced to close within a month. The…

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Corporate Dispatch Brexit News Roundup

Brexit talks between the UK and the EU remain deadlocked, Downing Street has said just a day before MPs are due to vote again on Theresa May's deal. The Times…

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Corporate Dispatch Europe Explained – The Week Ahead

A quick glance at the main forthcoming events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings and other EU-related conferences and events. Events for the week…

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Brexiteers warn any delay would do “incalculable” harm

Steve Baker and Nigel Dodds, two leading Brexiteers have said any delay to Brexit would do "incalculable" harm to public trust in politics. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Conservative MP…

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EU’s Brexit offer met with scepticism and resistance

POLITICO reports that Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the U.K.'s House of Commons, on Saturday dismissed efforts by the European Union's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier to offer a solution to…

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EU is not interested in Brexit blame game – Barnier

The EU is "not interested in the blame game," chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said Friday, as he spelt out legal reassurances offered to the U.K. in recent days. The…

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EU commits to give UK option of unilateral exit from customs union – Barnier

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has said it was ready to offer Britain a unilateral exit from the customs union while maintaining the other elements of the…

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If deal fails UK might not leave EU at all – Theresa May warns

Theresa May has urged parliament to “get it done” and back her Brexit deal in an impassioned speech which, however, offered no new concessions for wavering MPs ahead 0f next week’s…

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The EU and the US concerned following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China’s Belt and Road initiative

The European Commission stressed the need for EU States to stay united following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China's huge Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.…

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Orban indicates Fidesz may leave the EPP

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban revealed that his ruling nationalist Fidesz party may drop out of the European People's Party (EPP), the center-right grouping in the European Parliament. In…

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Time’s Up: European Parliament to vote on scrapping mandatory daylight savings time

After the European Parliament’s transport and tourism committee this week became the latest EU body to endorse the proposal in a report this week a vote on scrapping mandatory…

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48 financial firms to move to Germany due to Brexit

German regulators have received 48 applications in recent months from financial firms seeking to relocate to Germany in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the European Union. Reuters…

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No-deal Brexit means millions of British must renew their passport today

The leading British consumer group Which? has warned that millions of UK travellers could be barred from entering many European countries in the event of a no-deal Brexit unless they…

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Marked slowdown in eurozone growth says ECB chief

Countries with high public debt like Italy should increase their efforts to cut it, European Central Bank Governor Mario Draghi. Italy has the highest debt in the eurozone after Greece,…

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New push for Brexit proposals by weekend

Britain has been given until the end of Friday to come forward with fresh proposals to break the Brexit deadlock. EU officials, the BBC reported, have said they are ready…

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British Finance minister Hammond warns UK will likely have to delay Brexit

British Finance Minister Philip Hammond (photo above) warned that the UK will likely have to delay Brexit if lawmakers reject May's deal in a vote next week. Britain is due…

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Few days away from Brexit Day, expert panels set up to develop Irish Backstop alternatives

Expert panels will advise the government on developing alternatives to the Irish backstop in Brexit talks. Sky News reports that three groups will be formed by trade and customs experts,…

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Brexit Deal set to be defeated by 100 votes – The Telegraph

Theresa May’s Cabinet is resigned to her Brexit deal being defeated by up to 100 votes next week after talks in Brussels collapsed without progress on Wednesday. The Telegraph reports…

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Weber insists that Turkey will not become an EU member

Manfred Weber, the European Peoples Party's (EPP) lead candidate to be the new EU Commission President , Wednesday insisted that Turkey will not become an EU member. Weber insisted…

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Formal approval for Ramona Frendo for post of judge to General Court of the EU

An expert panel declared that Maltese nominee for the post of judge to the General Court of the European Union, Dr Ramona Frendo, has been found to satisfy the…

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EU warns ‘no solution’ in sight for Brexit deal

British Brexit negotiations to win changes to Theresa May’s Brexit deal are going badly, and the EU Commission warned that “no solution” is in sight. Talks Tuesday evening in Brussels broke…

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EPP to discuss Fidesz expulsion

The EPP President Joseph Daul told German newspaper Die Welt that the expulsion of Hungary's Fidesz party is on the agenda of the organisation's March 20 meeting in Brussels.…

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Provisional agreement reached on EU’s 2021-2027 Justice Programme

The European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the 2021-2027 Justice programme proposed by the European Commission in May 2018. This new programme will support developing an integrated…

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Brussels Brexit talks fail to reach deal

Sources are indicating that the talks Tuesday evening in Brussels between European Union and British Brexit negotiators ended after more than three hours without any concrete result . The talks…

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Brexit precautions: Ryanair moves spare parts from UK central storage to EU

Aviation.be reports that Ryanair has decided to take precautionary measures before facing a possibly hard Brexit by moving some of its spare parts from its UK central storage unit to…

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Macron calls for a revision of the Schengen system

French President Emmanuel Macron has made an impassioned defence of a new Europe in a newspaper column published in each of the 28 member states in which he laid out…

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More Japanese companies expected to relocate away from Britain

More Japanese companies are expected to leave Britain in the coming months if the uncertainty around Brexit persists. In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Koji Tsuruoka, Japan's ambassador to…

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US ends diplomatic spat with the EU

It seems the United States has ended a spat with the European Union over diplomatic protocol. Early this year it emerged that the United States had changed the way it…

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Reform party wins Estonia’s general election

The centre-right Reform Party has won Estonia's general election. The BBC reports that the Reform Party, led by former MEP Kaja Kallas, won about 29% of the vote whilst the…

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Corporate Dispatch Europe Explained – The Week Ahead

A quick glance at the main forthcoming events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings and other EU-related conferences and events. Events for the week of…

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Viktor Orbán calls EPP antagonists ‘useful idiots’

Politico reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán labelled those in the European People's Party (EPP) critical of his party, "useful idiots". Orbán was quoted by Politico as saying this…

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Brexit boost for Theresa May

Sky News reported that British Prime Minister Theresa May received a major boost in the current Brexit conundrum and ahead of key Commons votes. May was given a vital endorsement…

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Greece tries to confront banking crisis

Germany’s international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) takes an in-depth at the banking crisis afflicting Greece after eight exhausting years of financial crisis and the scandals that accompany it. Greek banks…

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The EU ready to give Britain more guarantees that the Irish “backstop” is temporary

Reuters reports that Michel Barnier, the chief Brexit negotiator for the European Union, said that Brussels is ready to give Britain more guarantees that the Irish “backstop” is temporary. Barnier…

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Irish PM sceptical of hard Brexit

Euronews reported that Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar said he doesn't believe the UK will leave the European Union without a deal. Varadkar made the comments during a visit to…

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Polls indicate La Lega to be top Italian party and second at the EP elections

Italian news agency ANSA reported that in the upcoming May European Parliament (EP)elections Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's far-right group La Lega will be the top party in Italy, according to…

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Spanish contingency plan to grant residency to 400,000 Britons if there is a hard Brexit

The English version of the Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that in the eventuality of hard Brexit Spain is planning to grant residency to 400,000 Britons. The Spanish contingency plan…

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Stockpiling and job slashing as the UK braces for Brexit

A survey issued Friday by the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), showed that British factories slashed jobs in February and braced for Brexit by stockpiling goods at…

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EU plans to place Saudi Arabia on a money laundering blacklist blocked

The Financial Times reported that European Union plans to place Saudi Arabia and four US territories on a money laundering blacklist has suffered a humiliating defeat after virtually unanimous opposition…

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Minister George Eustice resigns from Government over Article 50 extension

Agriculture minister George Eustice has resigned from the government over Theresa May’s decision to allow a vote on delaying article 50, saying it would be “the final humiliation of our country”. Eustice,…

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European Commission publishes annual economic and social situation assessment

In its annual assessment of the economic and social situation in the Member States, the European Commission today stresses the need to promote investment, pursue responsible fiscal policies and implement…

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Jeremy Corbyn has declared Labour will back a referendum on Brexit

Jeremy Corbyn has declared Labour will back a referendum on Brexit, ending a years-long power struggle within the party. The Labour leader threw his support behind the campaign for a…

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Labour’s alternative Brexit plan rejected

A Labour amendment, which called for MPs to express their support for the party's Brexit plan, has been defeated. Votes in favour: 240 Votes against: 323 Sky reports : "The…

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France would block Brexit delay without a clear objective

France would block a delay to Brexit unless it had a "clear objective" based on a "new choice" by the British, Emmanuel Macron has said. Speaking at a joint press…

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May facing revolt threat ahead of crucial Cabinet meeting

Theresa May is facing the threat of a revolt by Remain-supporting ministers ahead of a crucial cabinet meeting on her Brexit negotiations. Three say they will resign unless the PM…

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Tusk and May discuss legal and political consequences of a possible extension” of Britain’s two-year limit on Brexit negotiations

Delaying Brexit with an extension to Article 50 would be a "rational solution" to the ongoing crisis, the president of the European Council has said. Speaking at an EU summit…

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