Merkel calls for ‘well-ordered’ Brexit transition

LONDON: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that she is working for a “well-ordered” Brexit as confusion reigns over how Britain is to leave the European Union (EU) on March 29.

Addressing delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, she said everyone involved in the EU is working out how to “deal with the shock of Brexit”.

Merkel said she is looking for a “good” future partnership, particularly with regard to security and defense issues in which Britain has taken a lead in the EU. And on issues of trade, she said it would be best if the future relationship between Britain and the EU is as frictionless as possible.

She said “the easier the relationship, the easier for all of us”.

Last week, British Prime Minister Theresa May overwhelmingly lost a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal with the EU. Since then, there’s been growing talk that Britain could crash out of the bloc without a deal or that it will end up extending its date of departure.

Germany’s economy minister said a request from Britain’s government for an extension on the looming Brexit deadline would “certainly be considered seriously” - if a majority in Parliament seeks one.

Peter Altmaier said a no-deal or “hard” Brexit “must be avoided”. He called for patience as the British Parliament considers a new plan by PM May’s government to make good on the verdict of the British people two years ago to leave the European Union.

Altmaier told reporters in Davos that Britain and the bloc share a “joint responsibility” to avoid a hard Brexit.

“We need clarity and we should work together,” he said, alluding to the March 29 deadline for Britain to leave the bloc, with or without a deal.

“We have a debate going on in the UK, and if a majority of the UK Parliament and government would ask for such an extension, it would certainly be considered seriously.”

The Czech Parliament’s lower house has approved a government plan to guarantee the nearterm rights of British citizens in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit.

The plan means the roughly 8,000 Britons currently living in the country would retain their rights in the immediate aftermath of Brexit even if Britain crashes out of the EU in March with no deal.

They would retain basically the same rights as the citizens of EU countries for a transitional period until December 31, 2020.

The upper house, the Senate, is also expected to approve it.