Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has warned Theresa May that she should not take it for granted that the EU will agree to an article 50 extension.
At a press conference in Brussels, he said that delaying Brexit could bring economic and political costs, that the EU would want reasons for an extension, and that he would only favour agreeing a long extension in return for the UK offering “something new”.
He said extending article 50 could bring economic and political costs for the EU. In his opening statement he said: “In any case, the European council will need to assess what is in the best interest of the EU.
Extending the uncertainty without a clear plan would add to the economic cost for our businesses but could also incur a political cost for the EU.
It is for the British government and parliament to decide very quickly what the UK wants to do next.
He said, if May asks for an extension, EU leaders will want to know why they should grant one. He said: EU leaders will need a concrete plan from the UK in order to be able to make an informed decision.
And key questions will be:
Does an extension increase the chances for the ratification of the withdrawal agreement?
Will the UK request an extension because it wants a bit more time to rework the political declaration?
In this sense The Guardian reports that Michel Barnier has suggested that the price of a long Brexit delay in the event of Theresa May’s deal being defeated again would be a soft Brexit or a “new event” such as a second referendum or general election.
Speaking two days before Thursday’s crunch leaders’ summit, the EU’s chief negotiator said the bloc’s heads of state and government would want to be convinced of the usefulness of extra time, given the costs involved
Meanwhile BBC reports that Prime Minister Theresa May is writing to the EU to formally ask for Brexit to be postponed until 30 June or longer.
One ministerial source told the BBC the longer delay could be up to two years, amid reports of a cabinet row, but No 10 said no decision had been made.
Via The Guardian /BBC
