“Despite its efforts to do so”, the European Parliament will not be able to ratify a possible agreement between the European Union and the British government on the post-Brexit relationship this year. This is the somewhat bitter conclusion issued by the European Parliament contact group and its leader, David McAllister (EPP, Germany), on Monday 21 December, after the deadline of Sunday evening 20 December set by MEPs (see EUROPE B12625A11) had expired.
On Monday, the teams of EU...