All options are still on the table - from a customs union to a second referendum - as the UK seeks to buy more time for Brexit talks. The request is testing the EU’s flexibility and its unity.
British prime minister Theresa May has asked the EU for a flexible Brexit delay, which she hopes to get at an emergency summit on 10 April (see other news). The delay could last until 30 June, or it could be brought forward if she secures a deal before the EU elections on 23 May. In a letter to EU leaders on Friday, she said she will make contingency plans to hold EU elections, which could be cancelled if needed.
Most EU countries favour a longer extension of around a year, which some conservative MPs (including attorney general Geoffrey Cox) have acknowledged. But France continues to question the need for an extension as long as there is no clear Brexit plan in place. The British press is reporting that some conservatives now support a long extension, as it would give them time to oust May and replace her with a hard Brexiteer. But the leader of the backbench European Research Group, Jacob Rees-Mogg, tweeted on Friday that in case of a long extension, the UK should be as “difficult as possible” in future EU budget talks and on defence policy.
Meanwhile, the UK government continues to seek a cross-party consensus on how to Brexit, despite MPs this week rejecting four options (including a customs union, a Norway-style ‘Common Market 2.0’ and a second referendum, put to parliament in an “indicative” vote on Monday) (EUROPE 12227/12). The EU has long been asking for cross-party talks and is likely to look more favourably on the government’s extension request if they go well.
May is seeking what she calls a “single unified approach”, across all parties, that focuses on changes to the political declaration on the future relationship. Failing that, she will allow MPs to vote (again) on a “small number of clear options” - likely to include some sort of customs arrangement - which she hopes the EU would agree to include in the declaration.
Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said this week the EU is “ready to refer to a range of options, from a free trade agreement, to customs arrangements, to a Customs Union, all the way to the European Economic Area” but is sceptical that there is a majority to be found in favour of any of them (EUROPE 12228/1).
As a result, the EU is ramping up no-deal preparations, with a series of commissioners issuing warnings this week on customs, transport, food safety and fisheries. There is still no clarity, however, on where checks would be done on goods crossing the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland (EUROPE 12229/13). Vice-president Jyrki Katainen said this week that the EU is working on “new ways” of clearing goods, but didn’t rule out border checkpoints. The Irish government is being equally coy, fearing that anything it says on the issue will be twisted in London.
European Council president Donald Tusk this week urged the EU to “be patient” with the UK (EUROPE 12228/1). German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU will do “everything" to avoid a 'no deal’ exit. But as things stand, Brexit day is set for 12 April, deal or no deal. (Sarah Collins)