Conditions for short Brexit delay have not been met, says Berlin

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Barnier suggests EU might not grant long article 50 extension unless May backs customs union

He says the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. That continues to be the case.

The political declaration (PD) can be improved, he says, if the UK wants.

He says the UK and the EU could add to the free trade agreement already proposed in the PD a customs union. This could be added rapidly, “within a few hours or days”, he says.

Barnier says the EU could rewrite the political declaration “within hours or days” if the UK chose a customs union.

But the request they await from the UK will have to respect that the EU is. He says he is talking about the integrity of the single market, the autonomy of the EU27 and the indivisibility of the four freedoms.

He says the EU is not willing to compromise on the ecosystem behind the single market.

Why is is stressing that the PD could be rewritten? Because that would provide meaning to an extension, he says.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/apr/09/brexit-latest-developments-news-theresa-may-visits-berlin-and-paris-as-gauke-plays-down-prospect-of-early-breakthrough-in-talks-with-labour-live-news?page=with:block-5cac61e28f08ce46f07ebb73#block-5cac61e28f08ce46f07ebb73