On Wednesday evening, 27 February, British MEPs supported the strategy of British leader Theresa May to ask them, ultimately on 14 March, to decide on a postponement - to after 29 March - of the date of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union via an extension of the negotiation deadline laid down in Article 50 of the Treaty (see EUROPE 12202).
This strategy was supported by MEPs through the adoption of the following two amendments, out of the five amendments put to the vote.
Labour's amendment by Yvette Cooper calls for a new meaningful vote on the agreement on an orderly Brexit to be held in mid-March with, in the event of rejection, an extension of the negotiations.
The other amendment adopted, that of Conservative Alberto Costa, consists in ensuring that the rights of British citizens will be preserved as they are set out in the withdrawal agreement, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
On Thursday, the Commission recalled that, in the preparations of the Twenty-seven for a British exit scenario without agreement, it was ready to provide for the continuity of these rights as a matter of priority, subject to reciprocity.
Among the amendments rejected by British MEPs was an amendment from the Labour Party calling for a permanent customs union between the United Kingdom and the EU, closer links between the two sides via market access and supporting the position now defended by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to hold a second referendum on Brexit. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)