In London, a vote on a hard-Brexit. In the European Parliament there is a barrage of Appeals to avoid the Brexit-Chaos. How to do that, is controversial. By Bernd Riegert, Strasbourg.
Further negotiations for a contract to exit from the EU, with the UK government, the European Union. There will be no third Chance, after the British Parliament rejected on Tuesday the Brexit Treaty for the second Time, and the authority of the Prime Minister, Theresa May, has undermined, said a spokesman for EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Juncker’s Deputy, the European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, the European Union is now completely “in the hands of the political system in the UK”.
The chief negotiator of the EU, Michel Barnier, doubted that an extension of the negotiation phase over the specified Brexit-appointment on the 29. March would also be useful. “Why you should extend the negotiations, if the negotiations are concluded” said Barnier in a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the situation in the UK. A lot of criticism and sometimes even malice to the previous Brexit course were heard in plenary. “The United Kingdom is completely out of control,” said the Chairman of the liberal group, Guy Verhofstadt.
EU leaders Timmermans (li.), Barnier said: “We have done everything”
A solution could not offer the deputies and the representatives of the European Commission and the Council but also. The European Union made it clear that there is a shift of the Brexit-date, for the last two years on the 29. March, only with sufficient justification. Only if it is clear what the British Parliament wants to be an extension of the negotiation phase referred to in article 50 of the EU treaties, up to a maximum at the beginning of July, so President Antonio Tajani.
The Chairman of the Christian Democrats in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, said in a DW, when the Britons could not name a clear reason for an extension, then he was in for a hard exit at a specified date. “The hard Brexit is closer than ever before,” warned Weber. “We are talking about millions of people who don’t know how their living conditions will be.” Manfred Weber alluded to the approximately three million EU citizens in the UK and the one Million Brits living on the continent.
EPP group Chairman Weber: “No extension without a specific reason”
President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron stock in an initial reaction in Paris to the fact that an extension of the Brexit-would drama be critically examined. The German Chancellor sees the supposedly looser. Angela Merkel had said at the EU summit with the Arab League in Sharm el-Sheikh two weeks ago, according to diplomatic sources, an extension until the beginning of July, could be achieved “easily”.
The European election as a border
In July, the in may newly elected European Parliament convenes for its constituent meeting. The UK should be then still a member of the EU, would have to be sent 72 members from the United Kingdom to the Parliament. It is considered to be politically hard to imagine that in the current chaotic situation in the UK elections for an Institution to be held, from the the British actually want to escape.
“You want to hardly that I or hordes of Brexit-Champions return to this Parliament in July,” said the broadly grinning British MEP Nigel Farage, who worked for 20 years for the Brexit. “The EU has just demanded too much,” says Farage. “We just want to be out and you ruled.” The members of the British Conservative party, the party of Prime Minister Theresa May, skipped the debate. Their benches were empty.
Watch the Video 02:37 Share
Fear of the hard Brexit
Facebook Twitter google+ send Tumblr VZ Xing Newsvine Digg
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Ev65
Businesses fear shortages
“The EU has done everything, what is possible,” said EU chief negotiator Barnier. “Now the UK must overcome the internal Blockade.” From the environment Barnier said that a short-term extension of the Brexit negotiation is pointless, because in such a short time, little could be achieved. Therefore, there is also the proposal to extend the bargaining phase by almost two years, and British representatives in the European Parliament, the EU Commission and in the Council of Ministers.
Without the divorce agreement?
Before the British decide, in the house of Commons on Thursday about a request for an extension, will be voting this Wednesday on a hard Brexit without the agreement with the EU without any transitional period. Even if, as expected, the majority of No-Deal-exit will reject it, the leaving date on the 29. March unaffected. It can no longer be changed by the house unilaterally.
The Brexit-a British government Minister, Stephen Barclay, said in a BBC Interview, No Deal would have a negative economic impact, but the risk that it could be at the end of no Brexit, would be greater. “That would be a disaster for our democracy. Therefore, I believe that, of the two uncomfortable possibilities, no Brexit would be the poorer.” The vote today has been released by the Prime Minister for the conservative group. Every member should vote according to his Conscience. A prediction for the outcome of the vote is therefore difficult.
Duties on the Irish border?
The European Parliament is to approve on Wednesday a series of emergency regulations, which the EU Commission, the member States prepared for a hard Brexit. It’s about the flight and ferry services with the UK to maintain Visa-free travel. The British government announced today that it wants to introduce on the border between the EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, no border controls. In addition, potential imports are to be reduced customs duties to UK, where the supply of Goods from the European Union.
Whether and how Ireland will charge at the land border with the UK duties, is not yet clear. In theory, the Irish government would be obliged to control this new external border of the EU. These border controls could threaten the unstable peace between the Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. This precarious situation is supposed to be a free trade agreement between the EU and the UK prevents, this should be negotiated by the end of 2020. The Irish Minister for Europe, Helen McEntee announced, everything should run on a hard No-Deal-Brexit, would seek your government as soon as possible negotiations with the EU and the UK on the border regime.
