Icon: enlarge
Long queues at the port of Dover: truck drivers no longer come to the European Union
Photo: SIMON DAWSON / REUTERS
The British Home Secretary Priti Patel has clearly rejected the request of leading EU parliamentarians to extend the Brexit transition period.
When asked whether there were any plans to extend the transition phase, she told Sky News: "They don't exist."
Vice President of Parliament Katarina Barley (SPD) had previously told the editorial network Germany (RND) that it would be sensible to examine a possible deal "in peace".
The hand of the EU for a temporary extension of the transition phase is "always outstretched".
It was up to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to "take that hand now," said Barley.
The previous transition period, during which Great Britain remains fully part of the internal market despite its exit from the EU, expires at the end of the year.
EU and UK continue negotiations
The head of the Brexit group in the European Parliament, David McAllister (CDU), told the RND: “We want to take all necessary steps to minimize disruptions for our citizens and companies.
We are also worried about the critical situation surrounding the corona virus. "It is about" working constructively and pragmatically on feasible solutions. "
The EU and UK negotiators continued their trade deal negotiations on Monday.
The EU Parliament declared the timely ratification of a possible deal no longer feasible.
An agreement would then have to come into force temporarily without ratification, which is possible.
Time for trade deals is running out
The main points of contention in the negotiations for months have been fair competition, control over the implementation of a future agreement and access to British waters for fishermen from the EU.
While there had recently been significant progress on the first two sticking points, the fishing question remained difficult to the end.
Great Britain left the EU on February 1st.
In order to avoid serious consequences for the economy by the end of the current transition period by the end of the year, a trade agreement should be negotiated by then.
A deadline set by the EU Parliament for a finished text expired on Sunday evening.
Should an agreement be reached in the coming days, it could possibly come into force provisionally and only be ratified afterwards.
However, time is running out for that too: EU circles said that provisional application of an agreement from January 1st would only be feasible if an agreement was reached by Christmas.
Icon: The mirror
höh / dpa / Reuters