EU says no more Brexit talks with UK, risk of no-deal increased

Thursday, 14 March 2019 01:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Anti-Brexit protesters are seen after the Brexit voting outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain 12 March – Reuters

BRUSSELS (Reuters): The European Union will not negotiate Brexit again, it said on Tuesday, after Britain’s parliament rejected the divorce package for a second time in a vote that made a chaotic no-deal scenario more likely.

“The EU has done everything it can to help get the Withdrawal Agreement over the line,” Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said after the House of Commons vote.

“The impasse can only be solved in the UK. Our ‘no-deal’ preparations are now more important than ever before.”

In coordinated statements, European Council President Donald Tusk and the bloc’s executive European Commission said the EU had done “all that is possible to reach an agreement ... it is difficult to see what more we can do.”

The bloc insists the divorce deal – already rejected by parliament in January – will not be revisited. It expects Prime Minister Theresa May to ask for a delay to Brexit to avoid economic disruption should Britain leave with no plan in place.

“With only 17 days left to 29 March, today’s vote has significantly increased the likelihood of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit,” the EU said.

“Should there be a UK reasoned request for an extension, the EU27 will consider it and decide by unanimity. The EU27 will expect a credible justification for a possible extension and its duration,” it said, adding that any Brexit delay must not interfere with EU parliamentary elections due on 24-26 May.

While a short Brexit delay is acceptable to the EU, few in the bloc believe it would be enough to break the deadlock in Britain’s government, parliament and the wider country, all split in half on Brexit.

Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said on Monday Britain must leave on 23 May at the latest or would have to take part in the EU elections.

Britain in Brexit chaos: Parliament crushes May’s EU deal again