European Union: Von der Leyen wants a long-Brexit postponement a British commissioner

United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum

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Ursula von der Leyen takes Britain into the obligation: If the country has not yet left the EU when she takes up office as EU Commission head, she wants to have a Brit in her leadership team.

This marks the start of a second race against the United Kingdom: not only the Brexit deadline of 31 October is approaching, but also Leyens' entry into office. After all: Your start date was last shifted from November 1 to at least one month, because of the Leyen three of 26 Commissioners are missing. The candidates have to go through hearings in the European Parliament, which then votes again on the entire staff package.

Theoretically, the British exit from the EU could take place beforehand. The UK is currently awaiting a response from the other EU countries to its request for an extension of the deadline. According to diplomats, they agree in principle to grant a delay - but the duration has not yet been determined. On Friday, this will be discussed again in Brussels.

British government had deliberately renounced nomination

EU Council President Donald Tusk and the European Parliament are in favor of a new deadline by the end of January 2020. If the ratification of a withdrawal agreement succeeds beforehand, Britain could flexibly withdraw before the deadline. This solution was supported by the leaders of the European Parliament on Thursday in a statement.

The British government had deliberately renounced the nomination of a Commissioner in view of the withdrawal date 31 October. The representative of Great Britain in the outgoing European Commission of Jean-Claude Juncker is Julian King, he is responsible for security.