EU GRANTS BRITAIN THREE-MONTH ‘FLEXTENSION’

EU member states have agreed to grant Britain a three-month delay on its departure from the European Union, with the possibility of exiting earlier than January 31 if the withdrawal agreement is ratified.

Monday’s decision, which comes just three days before Britain was due to leave the bloc, is expected to be formalized in writing, European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Twitter.

The remaining 27 member states gave London the lastminute reprieve with the aim of signing off a Brexit divorce deal struck between British and EU negotiators earlier this month.

The British parliament has indicated preliminary support for the deal, but rejected a three-day ratification timetable proposed by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, bringing the approval process to a halt last week.

EU member states have agreed to grant Britain a threemonth delay on its departure from the European Union, with the possibility of exiting earlier than January 31 if the withdrawal agreement is ratified

The so-called “flextension” would allow Britain to exit the EU at the start of December or the start of January if the Brexit deal has been ratified by both sides in time, according to a draft extension text seen by dpa.

“This extension excludes any re-opening of the withdrawal agreement,” it notes.

EU member states also warn in the text that the extension “cannot be allowed to undermine the regular functioning of the [European] Union and its institutions.”

They demand that Britain act in good faith during its extended EU membership, including by nominating an EU commissioner, something Johnson had previously refused to do. London must agree to these terms.

Johnson is due to ask British lawmakers to vote later Monday on holding an election on December 12, in return for more time to scrutinize his Brexit deal. -BRUSSELS (DPA),

28 OCT, 2019