The main political groups in the European Parliament recalled on Tuesday 15 January in Strasbourg ahead of the British Parliament's vote scheduled for the evening that the agreement negotiated with the European Union on an orderly Brexit was a "fair and balanced" offer and the only one possible given the British red lines, as the Spanish EPP Esteban González Pons said.
In anticipation of the expected rejection of the agreement on the table (see other news), these political groups said they were open to a limited extension of the two-year negotiation period provided for in the Treaty (Article 50). This extension is one of the options considered in the event that the British MEPs reject the negotiation.
"The EPP does not oppose the extension of Article 50", said the Spanish. If Ms May "needs more time, it is not the EPP that will oppose it. But this extra time must be counted in weeks, not months", Pons added. According to him, the European elections must be the deadline and the British must not "participate in the next elections". And the Spaniard to insist: "It would be absurd for a country negotiating its exit from the EU to elect Members of the European Parliament, appoint a European Commissioner and participate in the election of the President of the Commission".
For the S&D group, the German Udo Bullmann thought it was entirely possible for London to ask for "additional time", provided that the Twenty-seven accepted it.
But, according to Philippe Lamberts (Greens/EFA, Belgium), giving the United Kingdom more time will not change the reality. The Belgian asked himself about the purpose of such an extension. "Give more time for a referendum? All right; for parliamentary elections? Okay", but not to think about Brexit again when "the facts are known". The British Parliament must decide its position, otherwise "people will have to be questioned", Mr Lamberts also said.
The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, was scheduled to meet the Parliament steering group on Brexit following the British vote. The President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, returned to Brussels on Tuesday where he will discuss the steps following the vote. A meeting with Mrs May on Wednesday, reported in the media, was nevertheless denied by Downing Street. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Lucas Tripoteau)