Johnson accepts EU’S ‘flextension’ to sign off Brexit deal

BRUSSELS – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday accepted the terms by the European Union on a Brexit extension, giving Britain until Jan. 31 to leave the bloc.

EU member states agreed to the threemonth delay with the possibility of exiting earlier than Jan. 31 if the withdrawal agreement is ratified.

Monday’s decision, which was announced by European Council President Donald Tusk on Twitter, comes just three days before Britain was due to leave the EU.

In a letter that spells out his opposition to a delay that was “imposed on this government against its will,” Johnson accepted the EU’S terms.

“This unwanted prolongation of the UK’S membership of the EU is damaging to our democracy and to the relationship between us and our European friends,” Johnson wrote to Tusk.

The remaining 27 member states gave London the last-minute reprieve with the aim of signing off on 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 Johnson, bringing the approval process to a halt last week.

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 reopening 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 warned that, while he will not deliberately seek to disrupt EU business during Britain’s prolonged membership, his responsibility as prime minister is to “protect the UK’S national interests, including in EU decision-making.”