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AFP
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has contracted coronavirus
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been urged by a bunch of MEPs to delay his Brexit deadline as nations around the globe battle the coronavirus.
The European Parliament’s largest group of MEPs mentioned the pandemic places strain on the prospect of securing a commerce deal by the deliberate date.
The PM’s spokesman insisted there have been no plans to vary the timetable.
It comes as EU and UK representatives met to debate implementing the Brexit withdrawal settlement over video hyperlink.
Underneath the settlement, the UK enters a transition interval the place it’s going to proceed to comply with EU guidelines till 31 December 2020, by which era either side say they hope to have agreed a commerce deal.
Downing Road mentioned the talks to agree a deal are persevering with to happen over the telephone, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has contracted the illness, and his reverse UK quantity David Frost has needed to self-isolate.
The European Individuals’s Occasion MEP Christophe Hansen, a negotiator on the parliament’s worldwide commerce committee, mentioned: “Underneath these extraordinary circumstances, I can not see how the UK authorities would select to show itself to the double whammy of the coronavirus and the exit from the EU single market, which is able to inevitably add to the disruption, deal or no deal.
“I can solely hope that widespread sense and substance will prevail over ideology.
“An extension of the transition interval is the one accountable factor to do.”
And the German MEP David McAlister mentioned: “The coronavirus pandemic complicates the already very bold schedule.
“The EU has at all times been open to extending the transition interval – the ball is now clearly within the British court docket.”
The European Parliament will get a say in ratifying any future commerce deal.
When requested if an extension was doable, the prime minister’s spokesman mentioned: “The transition interval ends on December 31 2020. That is enshrined in UK regulation.”
‘Key precedence’
The UK has additionally held a gathering with the European Fee to speak about implementing the withdrawal settlement.
Following the assembly between European Fee Vice-President Maros Sefcovic and UK senior minister Michael Gove, a fee assertion mentioned that “the right and well timed implementation of the withdrawal settlement is a key precedence for the EU”.
It added: “This issues specifically safeguarding the rights of round 4.5 million EU residents and UK nationals, and sustaining peace and stability on the island of Eire within the context of the Good Friday Settlement, whereas making certain the integrity of the one market.”
The assertion additionally mentioned either side had “agreed on the significance for the UK to set out its plans over the approaching months with regard to the implementation of the protocol on Eire/Northern Eire”.
It mentioned there was “an pressing must current an in depth timetable and proceed with the required measures, reminiscent of getting ready for the introduction of customs procedures for items getting into Northern Eire from Nice Britain.”
Underneath the Brexit deal reached in 2019, Northern Eire will proceed to comply with EU guidelines on agricultural and manufactured items. The remainder of the UK will cease following these guidelines on the finish of 2020.