• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News World News

No deal Brexit fear as EU chief warns Boris Johnson’s refusal to extend transition period is unrealistic

The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on January 31.

Ben Gelblum by Ben Gelblum
2019-12-27 13:44
in World News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

The European Union and Britain will struggle to seal an agreement on trade and other aspects of their future ties after Brexit next year and should consider extending the negotiations beyond 2020, a top EU official has said in an interview.

The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on January 31.

If it does, it will be the first time a country leaves the world’s biggest trading bloc.

Negotiations between the remaining members and the British government on future trade, fisheries, education and transport relations can only begin after that date and according to the Withdrawal Agreement that Boris Johnson’s government secured with the EU must conclude by the end of 2020.

Johnson, despite warnings that it won’t be enough time, insists there will be no extension and has ruled out negotiations past 2020 in his Withdrawal Agreement legislation.

“I am very concerned about how little time we have,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told the French business newspaper Les Echos.

“It seems to me that, on both sides, we should seriously consider whether the negotiations are feasible in such a short time.”

RelatedPosts

Sweden joins Finland in seeking Nato membership as Russia moves nuclear missiles towards Finnish border

Ukraine has won battle of Kharkiv as Putin ally makes threats to nuke Britain in just 200 seconds

Watch: Coffin dropped as Israeli forces attack mourners before Al Jazeera journalist laid to rest

Just five nations left with ‘no COVID deaths’ – after islands log first fatality

“I think it would be reasonable to take stock in the middle of the year and, if necessary, agree on an extension to the transition period,” Ms von der Leyen said.

As the leader of the executive commission, Ms von der Leyen heads the EU institution responsible for Brexit talks and negotiating trade deals on behalf of member countries.

Brexit cliff edge warning

Such trade pacts routinely take years to complete, and businesses fear that the UK could face a new “no-deal” Brexit scenario at the start of 2021 if questions about whether tariff-free trade with the country’s biggest trading partner remain unanswered.

Micheal Martin, Irish leader of the opposition also warned of the dangerous cliff edge of Boris Johnson’s approach this week.

Mr Martin said he is worried about the British Government’s legislative plans to make it illegal to extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020, even if a trade deal is not ready by then.

“That is unnecessary. I think it’s dangerous,” he said.

“And because you’re back into your cliff-edge at the end of the year, potentially, and most experts on trade believe it’s not possible to negotiate a comprehensive trade agreement between the UK and Europe in the short time, you know, in one year.”

Mr Johnson won a solid parliamentary majority in the general election earlier this month, which helped him push a Brexit withdrawal deal through Parliament with very little scrutiny.

The Brexit bill contained amendments that bar the Government from extending the transition period beyond 2020.

Under Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty rule book, which governs how countries leave the bloc, any new extension to the departure process must be agreed by June 30 2020.

Related: You will always be welcome to come back, EU chief writes in open letter to UK

Tags: headline

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

Beer of the Week – Beavertown 8 Ball Rye IPA

Elevenses: Beneath the Bombs

Outrage as Brit teen convicted of lying over Cyprus gang-rape after retraction obtained with no lawyer

Ex-soldier accused of Bloody Sunday murders given first court date

Michelle Obama takes aim at Donald Trump in scathing convention speech

Girlhood: The Changing Face Of French Cinema – An interview with Céline Sciamma and Karidja Touré

Don’t get left behind: Upskilling staff remotely in the new normal

Chris Grayling’s no deal Brexit ferry company with no ships copied T&C’s off a takeaway delivery

Covid: Government contracts handed out ‘like sweeties to people with friends in high places’

Dominic Raab went AWOL as Afghanistan situation escalated

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.