Brexit: The facts and what you need to know as the United Kingdom's future in the European Union hangs in the balance - CBS News

London -- As Britain approaches the date it is supposed to exit the European Union, the Brexit process is only getting more chaotic. The chance of the U.K. crashing out of the union it helped to create without any agreement in place on future relations is more likely than ever. With daily headlines about deadline extensions, cabinet resignations and cross-party negotiations, what are the facts? 

Is there a hard deadline for Brexit?

Fact: Currently, the cliff edge is April 12, but the U.K. may ask for an extension. Source: European Union.

Initially, the deadline for Britain to leave the European Union was March 29, 2019, but the EU granted the U.K. an extension. The bloc agreed to a delay, but demanded that lawmakers in London use the extra time to pass at least one key piece of Brexit legislation -- the Withdrawal Agreement -- by March 29. They failed to do that.

The EU then let the deadline for the U.K. to pass a withdrawal agreement slide to April 12. On Wednesday, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said the EU would not grant any more short extensions beyond that date (he did leave open the possibility of a longer delay, however). On Wednesday night, the British House of Commons voted to send Prime Minister Theresa May back to the EU to ask for another extension.

Both the U.K. and the EU have been trying to avoid Britain participating in upcoming European parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for late May. But if Britain is still technically a member of the union by then, it will have to field candidates under EU law.

What's wrong with the deal May reached with the EU?

Fact: Approximately 3,500 people were killed in "The Troubles," a decades-long violent conflict in Northern Island that ended in the 1990s. The end of that conflict opened up the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Source: Malcolm Sutton's Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland, Ulster University    

The conflict that ended in the 1990s with the "Good Friday Agreement" has been one of the biggest thorns in the side of the British government's withdrawal deal.

Theresa May's deal would put an end to free trade and free movement between Britain and EU countries. Northern Ireland (part of the U.K.) and the Republic of Ireland (an independent country and EU member) share a land border. That border has remained open as part of the peace agreement which put an end to decades of conflict. Ending free movement and trade between Britain and the EU would require some level of new border controls on that Irish border, and many fear that could stoke sectarian tensions still simmering beneath the surface, and jeopardize the hard-won peace.

May's way around this problem in her draft deal with the EU is the so-called "backstop," which states that the U.K. would effectively remain within the customs union with the EU until a solution for the Irish border can be negotiated and put in place. Critics point out, however, that that could be never.

It was this "backstop" clause, and the possibility that it could keep Britain bound to EU customs rules indefinitely after Brexit, that made May's deal a no-go for many hardline "Brexiteers" in her party.

What about EU citizens living in the U.K.?

Fact: There are approximately 3.7 million EU citizens living in the United Kingdom. An estimated 1.3 British-born people lived in other EU countries in 2017. Source: UK Office for National Statistics and the United Nations.

May's withdrawal agreement set out a plan for how to deal with the millions of EU citizens living in the U.K., many of whom have resided here for decades and never had to think about their immigration status. Under her plan, EU citizens living in Britain would have to apply for "Settled Status," which would protect some of their rights -- primarily their rights to live and work in the U.K. Thousands have already applied.

If the U.K. crashes out of the EU without a deal, the British government has said that Settled Status will still apply, though parts of the timetable will vary, including the period during which applications can be made. On Wednesday, the EU said British citizens would still be able to travel to and within the EU without a visa for up to 90 days, even if the U.K. crashes out with no deal.

Rights groups have voiced concerns about whether EU citizens from vulnerable groups living in Britain, including the elderly and children in state care, will have the necessary support to apply for Settled Status. The process can be done either online or via a smart phone app.

Could there be another U.K. referendum?

Fact: The opposition Labour Party's position is that it will back a second referendum, but only under certain circumstances. Source: BBC News  

According to the BBC, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has told members of his party that he would consider another public vote to prevent a "damaging Tory Brexit," or a no-deal Brexit.

May has been unable to get her draft deal passed by the House of Commons, where her own Conservative Party and its allies hold a majority, so she has reached out to Labour and Corbyn to try to cobble together enough votes across the aisle to get it approved. 

Corbyn may not ask for another referendum if he and May are able to reach a compromise deal. That would anger some members of his party, who want any agreement to be put to a public, confirmatory vote. It would also infuriate the hardcore pro-Brexit lawmakers in May's party, who would see any further compromise in favor of closer future ties with Europe as a betrayal of the 2016 referendum result calling for Brexit in the first place.

Corbyn said the first day of negotiations on Wednesday was "useful but inconclusive." Talks were expected to continue on Thursday.

Will Brexit hurt the U.S. economy?

Fact: The United Kingdom is the U.S.'s top foreign investor. Source: CBS MoneyWatch

The United Kingdom is the U.S.'s biggest foreign direct investor, and experts predict that its economy will take a hit if there is a no-deal Brexit. Last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce issued a statement urging the British government to come up with a solution to avoid crashing out of the EU.

"We urge MPs to find consensus immediately on a way forward that avoids what surely would be a disastrous development for consumers, workers and businesses alike," the statement said.

A no-deal Brexit could disrupt global financial markets and be a "system risk" to American banks, according to the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

What happens if there is a no-deal Brexit?

Fact: If Britain crashes out of the EU without a deal, there will be no transition period. Source: Full Fact

Under Theresa May's proposed deal, the U.K. would leave the EU and then have an extended transition period to negotiate its future relationship with the bloc. Without a deal, at midnight on April 12, Britain would simply cease to be a member of the European Union, facing new tariffs and border controls.

Goods which had moved freely between EU countries for decades would likely be suddenly subjected to much higher tariffs. Economists have warned that Britain's residents could see price increases as well as shortages of food and medicine, and there could be major delays at ports as new customs regulations are put in place. 

While the government and the EU have been quietly planning for this contingency for months, even years, the truth is it remains unclear exactly how an unprecedented exit by an EU member state -- with, but especially without a deal -- could effect everyday life.

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2019-04-04 15:42:00Z
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After Brexit, EU Will Allow U.K. Citizens To Visit Without A Visa - NPR

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The EU will offer visa exemptions to U.K. travelers, even if Brexit takes place without a deal. But the law would require the U.K. to offer reciprocal visa-free travel to all EU nations. Here, customs signs are seen in London's Stansted airport. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption

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Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

With the U.K. poised to leave the European Union, one basic question has loomed over the complicated debates over soft borders and no-deal exits: After Brexit, would Brits be forced to get a visa to visit the EU? On Thursday, the EU Parliament gave its answer: "No."

The EU policy requires full reciprocation from the U.K. government — meaning that if citizens of one or more EU countries are required to get a visa to visit Britain, the EU will reinstate visa requirements for U.K. citizens.

The EU Parliament voted 502-81 to approve the visa exemption proposal, putting the U.K. in the same category as more than 60 other countries — including the U.S. — whose citizens do not need to secure a visa before short-term visits. The exemption does not confer the right to work in the EU.

The plan was approved as EU representatives work to get policies in place for a wide range of possible outcomes from the British government's tortured attempts to extricate itself from the EU.

"This is an important step for guaranteeing visa-free travel between EU and U.K. after Brexit, especially in case of no deal," said Bulgarian Parliament member Sergei Stanishev, who advocated for the rule.

The EU's new law still needs the EU Council's official approval. But an EU press officer tells NPR that it "will be in place in time for the scenario of a no-deal Brexit on 12 April."

While a reciprocated deal would ensure people are able to travel with only minimal paperwork, the EU implied that it might be tougher to bring pets along for the ride.

"As regards pets, they will still be allowed to travel, but the conditions will change since new controls will have to be carried out at the EU's borders with the U.K.," said Jyrki Katainen, an EU Commission vice president whose purview includes health and food safety.

With Brexit debates still sharply dividing lawmakers in the U.K. Parliament nearly three years after a public referendum, the EU plan does not set a specific date for taking effect. Instead, it's predicated on the U.K. leaving the union.

"The legislation will apply from the day following the U.K.'s withdrawal from the European Union," the EU Parliament says. "From that date, U.K. nationals who are British citizens will not be required to get a visa for stays in the EU of up to 90 days in any 180-day period."

In addition to the visa question, the EU said Thursday it's also preparing contingency plans for other essential logistical operations, from ensuring the supply of medicines to food safety and agricultural standards.

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2019-04-04 13:42:00Z
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Why Brexit, or Britain's exit from European Union, is so important but so tough to finish - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 9:27 AM EDT Apr 4, 2019

British Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition Labour Party are holding meetings this week to try to "break the logjam" over Britain's European Union exit – or Brexit. Here's a recap about what you need to know about Britain leaving the EU. 

Brexit: Why is it called that?

It may sound like a breakfast cereal but the word "Brexit" is a combination of the words "British" and "exit." It was first coined by The Economist magazine in 2012 and emerged following Greece's potential departure from the EU as it struggled with a heavy government debt load. "Grexit" never happened, but it inspired the British abbreviation. 

What is the EU?

It's a trade and monetary club, essentially, that enables its member nations to send goods, services and people across the bloc's collective borders with minimal friction. The EU was founded in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II to promote stability and economic cooperation among countries that had fought two major wars. Today, the EU is comprised of 28 countries – 19 of which use the euro currency – and it has more than 500 million citizens who are entitled to live and work in any other EU country.

Brexit: UK Brexit chief says Theresa May not offering a 'blank check' to opposition

May's offer: Theresa May’s EU Brexit deal rejected by Parliament a third time

Why is Brexit happening?

Former British Prime Minister David Cameron called the 2016 public vote on EU membership to appease right-wing, Euro-skeptic members of his ruling Conservative Party who had long agitated to leave the EU. They viewed it as a threat to Britain's sovereignty. Cameron believed the national referendum would easily reconfirm Britain's EU membership. He badly miscalculated. "Leave" won 52% to 48% over "Remain."

Why is it taking so long?

There is no easy answer to this one. However, it can be boiled down to the fact that while Britain's electorate narrowly opted to discard decades of EU membership – it joined in 1973, when the EU was known as the the European Economic Community, or EEC – the majority of British lawmakers don't feel it is in the best interests of the country. The delay is also a result of Britain and the EU not being equal negotiating partners. The EU has the final say on all Brexit matters. May spent almost three years negotiating an exit arrangement that was acceptable to the EU's 27 other leaders. Many lawmakers don't like it, but have been unable to agree on what kind of deal they want instead. 

Brexit was originally scheduled for March 29.

Parliament has rejected May's deal three times already. 

What's so bad about May's deal?

Critical issues accompanying the country's EU divorce, such as how much Britain will need to pay to leave the bloc (about $50 billion), and what rights EU nationals in Britain will have after the separation (similar to what they have now, but they'll need to prove they are not a burden on the state) have proven less controversial with British lawmakers. The deal has fallen afoul of parliamentarians over the thorny question of the land border between Northern Ireland (part of Britain) and Ireland (part of the EU).

Years of EU-facilitated friction-less trade and travel across this border is viewed as a key cog in ensuring peace between the Irish Catholic and British Protestant communities in Northern Ireland. It underpins the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 peace deal between the British and Irish governments and political parties in Northern Ireland.

The EU and May have signed off on a temporary measure, known as the "backstop," to keep this border open while Britain and the bloc negotiate a post-Brexit trade deal. Lawmakers are concerned that the "backstop" runs the risk of becoming permanent, a scenario that would, they fear, effectively keep Britain tethered to the EU indefinitely.  

May: Britain's Theresa May offers to step down to get Brexit deal passed

What happens if there's a 'no-deal' Brexit?

In short, Britain leaves the EU anyway because that is the default legal position. The EU has given Britain until April 12 to come up with a plan that is acceptable to lawmakers. If an agreement is not made by that date, Britain will leave the EU, only there could be considerable chaos because years of EU legislation that has covered everything from Britain's transportation policies to public health will more or less vanish overnight. 

About 3.7 million non-British EU nationals, or 6% of the population, live in Britain and 1.2 million people born in Britain live in the 27 other EU countries. In the event of a "no-deal" Brexit, these nationals would have no formal legal status or working and residence rights. Business leaders have warned a "no-deal" Brexit would badly hurt commerce. There are also concerns about shortages of food and medical supplies. 

More: 'Bewildering, dire, disastrous': Queen has a Brexit escape plan

What's happening now?

In recent days, lawmakers have voted on a range of Brexit alternatives in an attempt to find a compromise solution. These have included a "softer" form of Brexit that would allow Britain to keep closer trading ties to the EU and revoking Brexit altogether.

All the options have been voted down. 

May, from the ruling Conservative Party, said Tuesday that the country needed "national unity to deliver the national interest" and offered to hold talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to find a compromise solution.

"This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer," May said in a statement from 10 Downing Street, her official residence. The EU has scheduled an emergency summit in Brussels for April 10, two days before Britain's new Brexit deadline.

Ahead of that it's possible May could call a fourth vote on her EU exit deal. 

Lawmakers are also considering adopting legislation that would force May to seek a further delay from the EU aimed at preventing a "no-deal" Brexit on April 12.

More: Theresa May’s EU Brexit deal rejected by Parliament a third time

Wait, didn't May already resign?

Kind of. 

After May's EU exit deal was rejected the second time she vowed to quit if lawmakers would approve it in the third vote. They didn't. She's still Britain's prime minister, although unlike in the United States, Britain does not elect a leader but a party. 

That means that if May does step down, her Conservative Party will still be in power as long as it can agree on who should replace her. If it can't, there will be an election. 

More: Britain's Theresa May offers to step down to get Brexit deal passed

May is Britain's second female prime minister after Margaret Thatcher (1979-90) and made a name for herself while serving in Cameron's Cabinet as home secretary. In that role, she took a strict line on drug policy, immigration and fighting terrorism. 

So when does Brexit end?

Nobody knows. 

And while the term "Brexit" is a noun, it has morphed into something of a verb that is nothing if not a seemingly never-ending exercise in a political process. 

Even if May's deal passes in a fourth vote, the Brexit process wouldn't be over.

The deal she is trying to get through Parliament is just a transition-period arrangement. Her successor would need to negotiate – depending on how "soft" or "hard" a Brexit deal emerges – post-EU trade deals and other aspects of British legislation pertaining to life outside the bloc from environmental protections to human rights. 

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2019-04-04 10:36:00Z
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UK narrowly votes to delay Brexit again — but the EU could refuse - CNBC

In another nail-biting vote in the U.K.'s Parliament, lawmakers voted by a majority of just one to force Prime Minister Theresa May to seek an extension to the Brexit process and avoid a no-deal departure.

Members of Parliament (MPs) voted for the draft legislation on Wednesday evening to prevent a shock no-deal exit on April 12 (the date of a new deadline granted by the EU) by 313 votes to 312. The bill will need to be approved by the upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, to become law.

Despite last night's vote in favor of a delay to Brexit, it's far from certain that the EU will grant the U.K. an extension when European leaders meet next Wednesday, April 10, at an emergency summit dedicated to Brexit.

The U.K. was originally meant to leave the EU on March 29 but granted more time by the EU. Ahead of the U.K. Parliament's vote last night, the European Commission President Jean-Claude reiterated that April 12 was the final date for the approval of the Brexit deal and that no short extension would be possible.

MPs have rejected May's Brexit deal three times now, and a selection of alternative Brexit options have also failed to win a majority of support.

May's talks with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn Wednesday also failed to reach any compromise or consensus. Whatever happens next, experts expect a longer delay to Brexit and more political and economic uncertainty.

"As an American watching this from afar, we thought this would be done by now and I think what we're increasingly coming to terms with is that no matter what agreement is agreed right now, this is going to be a long-term process because Britain is divided," Christopher Smart, head of macroeconomic and geopolitical research at Barings, told CNBC Thursday.

A decision over an extension won't be taken lightly; the EU does not want to be blamed for scuppering a Brexit deal and a disorderly Brexit could harm its own interests — but so too could an extension in which the uncertainty surrounding future relations is prolonged.

May continues talks with Corbyn on Thursday but if they cannot agree a compromise deal there are expected to be more parliamentary votes on what course Brexit should take. The ball is in Europe's court over whether it will afford the U.K. more time if needed (and as expected) especially as it would mean that the U.K. will have to participate in European Parliament elections between May 23-26.

That could be an unappealing prospect for many politicians in Europe already wary of the rise of populist party politics — the same forces that fomented euroskeptic sentiment in the U.K. ahead of the 2016 referendum on EU membership.

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel signaled Wednesday that she was willing to grant an open extension to allow for an orderly Brexit. Her counterpart in France, President Emmanuel Macron, is not so keen on a delay and the potential disruption that could cause, however.

"It is far from clear whether an extension will be forthcoming," Stefan Auer, associate professor in European Studies at the University of Hong Kong, told CNBC Thursday.

"Merkel seems to be willing to grant it but she'll need to persuade Macron in France that that is in the EU's interests and I remain skeptical of that strategy, it will cause so much mess for the EU and the U.K. it will prolong the agony," he told CNBC's "Capital Connection."

Auer said it would be a "nightmare" for the EU if the U.K. took part in EU parliamentary elections in May as it would boost euroskeptics in the region. "The EU, at its heart, is a voluntary association of nation states and the credibility of that claim would be greatly diminished if the perception is created that the U.K. is somehow not allowed to leave."

"It would not only create a political mess in the U.K. … It would also have massive political repercussions in continental Europe so I think EU leaders will be wary of that prospect — but they're equally wary of a no-deal Brexit," he said.

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2019-04-04 08:17:38Z
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May to meet UK opposition leader for Brexit compromise talks - Washington Post

LONDON — Britain’s Brexit drama went into overtime Wednesday as Prime Minister Theresa May and the country’s main opposition sought a compromise deal to prevent an abrupt British departure from the European Union at the end of next week.

In an about-face that left pro-Brexit members of May’s Conservative Party howling with outrage, May sought to forge an agreement with left-wing Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn after failing three times to win Parliament’s backing for her Brexit deal.

May also said she would ask the EU for a further delay to Britain’s departure date — postponed once already — to avert a chaotic and economically damaging no-deal Brexit on April 12.

“The country needs a solution, the country deserves a solution, and that’s what I’m working to find,” May told lawmakers before meeting with Corbyn for about two hours.

Afterward, both the government and Labour called the meeting “constructive” and said their teams would hold more in-depth talks Thursday.

May’s office said both sides had shown “flexibility and a commitment to bring the current Brexit uncertainty to a close.”

Corbyn, more muted, said “the meeting was useful but inconclusive.”

“There hasn’t been as much change as I expected,” he said.

May’s change of direction left her caught between angry Conservatives who accuse her of throwing away Brexit, and Labour opponents mistrustful of her sudden change of heart.

Labour lawmaker Paul Sweeney said May’s outreach to his party “shows the desperation that she’s in.” He said May wanted Labour “to bail her out of a position she’s dug herself in.”

Pro-Brexit Conservatives, meanwhile, expressed outrage. Two junior ministers quit, and other lawmakers angrily accused May of putting the socialist Corbyn in the Brexit driver’s seat.

Her cross-party talks — after almost three years of seeking to push through her own version of a Brexit divorce deal — came amid EU warnings that a damaging withdrawal without a plan was growing more likely by the day.

After lawmakers three times rejected an agreement struck between the bloc and May late last year, the leaders of the EU’s 27 remaining countries postponed the original March 29 Brexit date and gave the U.K. until April 12 approve the divorce deal or come up with a new one.

So far the House of Commons has failed to find a majority for any alternative plan.

“A no deal on 12 April at midnight looks more and more likely,” European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Wednesday, adding that would bring disruption for EU citizens and businesses, but much worse economic damage for Britain.

EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said a “no-deal” Brexit would mean long lines at borders and paperwork headaches for customs checks on the 11,000 vehicles entering and leaving Britain each day.

“I prefer strict controls at the price of a few lines of trucks to a health crisis or illegal trafficking,” he said. “The security of Europeans will be our top priority.”

May’s pivot toward Labour points Britain toward a softer Brexit than the one she has championed since British voters decided in June 2016 to leave the EU. Labour wants the U.K. to remain in the EU’s customs union — a trading area that sets common tariffs on goods coming into the bloc while allowing free trade in goods moving between member states.

May has always ruled that out, saying it would limit Britain’s ability to forge an independent trade policy.

May’s decision to negotiate with Corbyn is risky for both the Conservatives and Labour, and could widen divisions over Brexit that run through both parties.

Labour is formally committed to enacting the voters’ decision to leave the EU, but many of the party’s lawmakers want a new referendum that could keep Britain in the bloc. They will be angry if the party actively helps bring about the U.K.’s departure.

Meanwhile, May’s move infuriated pro-Brexit Conservatives who say Britain must make a clean break with the EU in order to take control of its laws and trade policy.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Brexit “is becoming soft to the point of disintegration.” Ex-Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said he was “absolutely appalled” by May’s talks with Corbyn.

Junior Wales Minister Nigel Adams quit his post, criticizing May for seeking a deal with “a Marxist who has never once in his political life out British interests first” — a reference to the left-wing Corbyn.

He was followed by junior Brexit minister Chris Heaton-Harris, who said in his resignation letter that the government “should have honored the result of the 2016 referendum” and left the EU on March 29.

Meanwhile, pro-EU lawmakers were not banking on talks between May and Corbyn succeeding.

They sought a legal lock to ensure May could not go back on her promise to seek a delay to Brexit rather than let Britain tumble out of the bloc.

A bill being debated Wednesday would compel May to seek to extend the Brexit process beyond April 12 in order to prevent a no-deal departure. Its backers hope to push the bill through into law before May attends an April 10 summit in Brussels where EU leaders expect to hear details of Britain’s new Brexit plan.

EU leaders, weary of the whole Brexit circus, gave a cautious welcome to May’s attempt at rapprochement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would work “until the last hour” to secure an orderly Brexit, but stressed that “these solutions have to be reached above all in Britain itself.”

Britain’s televised political melodrama over Brexit — with its weeks of passionate debates, narrow votes and seemingly endless crises — has left EU leaders exasperated, but also fascinated.

The EU’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, joked that “the sessions in the House of Commons have become more popular than the matches in the Premier League.”

“The trouble is that it is always a draw in the House of Commons,” he said.

___

Casert reported from Brussels. Associated Press writers Danica Kirka in London and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.

___

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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2019-04-03 18:11:15Z
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The Latest: May loses another minister over Brexit moves - WTOP

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Britain’s departure from the European Union (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

A Brexit-related vote in Britain’s House of Commons has ended in a tie, the first time that has happened in a quarter-century.

In an illustration of politicians’ deadlock over Britain’s exit from the European Union, Wednesday’s vote ended in a 310-310 draw.

Under Parliament’s rules, the speaker of the House has tie-breaking power. Speaker John Bercow cast his vote with the noes. He said that was in keeping with the principle that “it is not for the chair to create a majority that otherwise doesn’t exist.”

The result means lawmakers have rejected the idea of holding a third day of voting on alternative Brexit options Monday.

Bercow says the last time a vote in the Commons ended in a tie was in 1993.

___

4:25 p.m.

Another minister has quit British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government over her decision to seek a Brexit compromise with the opposition.

Chris Heaton-Harris, a junior Brexit minister, said Wednesday that May “should have honored the result of the 2016 referendum” to leave the European Union and withdrawn as planned on March 29.

The EU extended that long-scheduled date to April 12 at May’s request, and the prime minister says she plans to ask for even more time.

Heaton-Harris published his resignation letter to May saying “every time we seek an extension to this process we diminish faith in our political system.”

Another junior minister, Nigel Adams, resigned earlier Wednesday over May’s handling of Brexit.

May announced Tuesday that she would seek a compromise with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, after Parliament rejected her EU divorce deal three times.

___

3:50 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is underlining her pledge to work “until the last hour” to secure an orderly Brexit but says it is primarily up to Britain to come up with solutions.

Merkel said Wednesday averting a chaotic Brexit is “in the interest of Britain but, above all, also in our own interest.” She plans to visit Ireland on Thursday to discuss among other things that country’s border with the U.K.’s Northern Ireland, one of the most complicated issues in Britain’s departure from the European Union.

Merkel said after meeting regional officials in eastern Germany: “These solutions have to be reached above all in Britain itself, of course … you can see that there are really intensive efforts, but you can also see that there are simply very diverse ideas.”

___

2:35 p.m.

The European parliament’s top Brexit official says despite the chaos in British politics, the U.K. has given the continent one great thing: an amazing TV show. 

Guy Verhofstadt compared the live transmission of the often raucous debates on Brexit in the House of Commons to Premier League soccer — one of the biggest British products the U.K. is transmitting to the continent. 

He says the Brexit debate sessions “have become more popular even than the matches in the Premier League in Europe.” He went on with the metaphor, saying “the only difference is that it is always a draw there in the House of Commons,” referring to the repeated stalemates over Brexit that have paralyzed British politics.

Verhofstadt was hopeful that talks Wednesday between British Prime Minister Theresa May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn would finally yield a breakthrough. 

___

1:35 p.m.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says he doesn’t yet see a reason to grant Britain another delay to its withdrawal from the European Union, but is welcoming British Prime Minister Theresa May’s efforts to avoid a no-deal Brexit.

Britain has either to leave the EU April 12 or propose an alternative course of action, and all 27 other EU countries would have to sign off on a further delay to Brexit. In Vienna Wednesday, Kurz stressed the importance of avoiding a no-deal Brexit but noted nothing has actually changed yet.

Kurz said: “There is, at present, no reason at all for an extension because the chaos in Britain hasn’t changed. There is no plan B that has a majority in Britain’s lower house, so speculation about an extension would at the moment be pure speculation.”

Kurz added that he hopes the situation will change. He said: “Let’s keep our fingers crossed for Theresa May in her efforts.”

___

1 p.m.

The European Union’s top economy official is warning of long lines at borders and paperwork headaches for obligatory customs checks if Britain crashes out of the bloc without an agreement.

EU Economy Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said Wednesday that Britain would become a third country overnight, creating “instantaneous and very radical legal change.”

He says that around 11,000 vehicles enter and leave the U.K. daily via the Eurotunnel rail service or ferries. EU countries estimate that paperwork would rise by 40-50% in the case of a no-deal.

But Moscovici says “I prefer strict controls at the price of a few lines of trucks to a health crisis or illegal trafficking. The security of Europeans will be our top priority.”

___

9:05 a.m.

European Union lawmakers say British citizens should be allowed to travel in Europe visa-free after Brexit but only if the U.K. grants the same right to EU citizens, as the bloc prepares for Britain’s possible departure without a deal.

The EU’s Civil Liberties Committee voted overwhelmingly Wednesday — 38 votes in favor, 8 against and 3 abstentions — to allow tourism or business trips.

The move permits stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but does not grant the right to work. The full parliament is likely to endorse the decision Thursday.

EU officials say it is “very likely” that Britain will depart without a deal, bringing potentially devastating political and economic consequences.

The Europeans are publicly stepping up their no-deal planning, increasing pressure on the U.K. parliament to find a compromise.

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9 a.m.

Britain’s Brexit secretary says the government is not offering a “blank check” to the opposition after Prime Minister Theresa May offered to meet with the Labour Party leader in hopes of ending the impasse over the U.K.’s departure from the European Union.

Steve Barclay told the BBC on Wednesday that some Labour proposals, such as a customs union with the EU, would be “very difficult” for the government to accept but both sides need to sit down and work out an agreement to avoid a damaging no-deal Brexit.

Barclay said: “We’re not setting pre-conditions, but nor is it a blank check.”

But he added that the “remorseless logic” of Parliament’s failure to back the prime minister’s withdrawal agreement with the EU is that Britain must move toward a softer form of Brexit.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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2019-04-03 16:41:15Z
52780259434503

What next? UK’s May, opposition seek elusive Brexit concord - Washington Post

LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May has brought a new word to the Brexit lexicon: compromise.

May met Wednesday with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to try to avoid Britain’s chaotic departure from the European Union in little over a week.

The shift came after lawmakers rejected the government’s Brexit deal on three occasions and twice failed to agree on any other option.

What might happen next:

NO DEAL

If Britain can’t break its Brexit impasse, it risks crashing out of the EU in nine days.

Last month, the EU agreed to postpone the original departure date of March 29, but gave Britain only until April 12 to pass a deal, come up with a new plan and seek a further extension, or leave without an agreement or a transition period to smooth the way.

Most politicians, economists and business groups think leaving the world’s largest trading bloc without an agreement would be damaging for the EU and disastrous for the U.K. It could lead to tariffs imposed on trade between Britain and the EU, and customs checks that could cause gridlock at ports and shortages of essential goods.

A hard core of pro-Brexit legislators in May’s Conservative Party dismiss this as “Project Fear” and argue for what they call a “clean Brexit.” But most lawmakers are opposed to leaving without a deal. Parliament has voted repeatedly to rule out a “no-deal” Brexit — but it remains the default position unless a deal is approved, Brexit is canceled or the EU grants another extension. The bloc says it will only do that if Britain comes up with a new Brexit plan.

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A COMPROMISE DEAL

After almost two years of negotiations, Britain and the EU struck a divorce deal in November, laying out the terms of the departure from the bloc and giving a rough outline of future relations.

But it has been thrice rejected by Parliament amid opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the Brexit divide. Pro-Brexit lawmakers think it keeps Britain too closely tied to EU rules. Pro-EU legislators argue it is worse than the U.K.’s current status as an EU member.

On Tuesday, May she said she would be prepared to compromise with her Labour opponents to try to win their backing for the withdrawal deal. That’s likely to include a pledge to keep closer economic ties with the bloc than she has long advocated.

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SOFT BREXIT?

May’s offer of opposition talks suggest she is pivoting to a softer form of Brexit than the one she has described for almost three years.

May has always insisted Britain must leave the EU’s single market and customs union in order to forge new trade deals around the world, but those ideas have strong opposition support.

Tweaking her deal to adopt a customs union, which would ensure seamless trade in goods with the EU, could gain May valuable votes in Parliament.

It also would probably be welcomed by the EU and would allow Britain an orderly departure in the coming months.

However, it could also create a schism in the Conservative Party, leading to potential resignations of pro-Brexit government ministers.

That instability increases the chance of an early British election, which could rearrange Parliament and break the deadlock.

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BREXIT DELAYED

May has conceded that Britain will need a further delay to its departure in order to sort out the mess and avert a “no-deal” departure.

The EU is frustrated with the impasse and has said it will only grant another postponement if Britain comes up with a whole new plan.

Both Britain and the EU are reluctant to have the U.K. participate in May 23-26 elections for the European Parliament but have signaled it could happen if necessary.

EU Council President Donald Tusk has urged the bloc to “be patient” and give Britain a Brexit extension if it plans to change course.

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BREXIT RECONSIDERED

This week, Parliament narrowly rejected a proposal for a new referendum on whether to leave the EU.

The proposal for any Brexit deal to be put to public vote in a “confirmatory referendum” was backed by opposition parties, plus some of May’s Conservatives.

The government has ruled out holding another referendum, saying voters in 2016 made their decision to leave.

But with divisions in both Parliament and in May’s Cabinet, handing the decision back to the people in a new plebiscite could be seen as the only way forward.

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Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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2019-04-03 15:12:39Z
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