Serious risks : the EU balks at Mays request to Brexit-delay News

In the struggle to Brexit are the UK and the EU itself, with regard to the envisaged shift of the withdrawal date divided. The British Prime Minister Theresa May has asked Brussels on Wednesday for a brief extension of the deadline until the end of June, as you pointed out in London. An internal document of the EU Commission, according to these looks, but because of the upcoming European elections to "serious legal and political risks" - and, therefore, maintains only a shorter or a longer delay is acceptable.

May told the British Parliament that it had informed European Council President Donald Tusk in a letter that Britain is an extension of the deadline referred to in article 50 of the EU Treaty, to 30. June would like it to. So far, the EU is the British for the 29 exit. March provided. Of the Brexit-the postponement, the Prime Minister wants to persuade the other 27 EU member countries at the EU summit starting Thursday in Brussels. These would have to approve this extension of the period unanimously.

Tusk makes a shift of a Brexit from the acceptance of the withdrawal Treaty in the British house of Commons. The decision of a short postponement was, in his view, if the British members issuing the 'front' of the agreement with the EU, said Tusk in Brussels on Wednesday. Open the question of whether the Prime Minister Theresa May proposed a postponement until the end of June was possible.

This would discuss the EU heads of state and government on Thursday, said Tusk. He referred to "questions of a legal and political nature" after the EU Commission had on Wednesday warned about the risks for the EU because of the European elections end of may.

Tusk holds special summit on non-necessary

The need for a special summit on Brexit in the coming week Tusk. The EU can do their part in the decision of a shift also in a written procedure, he said. If necessary he will convene a summit.

In an internal document the EU Commission advised on Wednesday at their weekly meeting and present to the AFP news Agency, is considered a deferral until the end of June as problematic. In the paper the impact of several extension variants are discussed.

As a result, it is noted that the EU could grant either a very short shift until shortly before the elections to the EU Parliament end of may, or a "significantly longer" shift "until at least the end of 2019". In the latter case, the UK was obliged then, elections to the European Parliament between the 23. and 26. To organize may.

EU feared lawsuits from citizens for Europe-choice

"Any other Option (for example, in the case of an extension of up to 30. June)" would be fraught with significant risks for the EU, it said. The risk that the UK please, then, to a further extension, to have held elections exist in the case of an extension of the deadline until June.

This would make "the formal Constitution of the new European Parliament is illegal", it said. "And this illegality would infect all of his subsequent decisions," such as the appointment of the new EU Commission or the adoption of the EU budget. Also British citizens or EU citizens in the UK could sue, if you have the right to participate in the EU election be denied, it was said in the Commission document.

Also be warned about the possibility that the UK keeps to the may European elections. Because then the seats would be awarded, which would have been divided after the election in may between other EU countries. In the document, it was said, moreover, that it must be excluded that London wanted to use an extension of the deadline for renegotiation at the outlet of the contract. Possible only more ambitious formulations for the accompanying political Declaration on the future of relations.

Federal government expects intense discussion

The speaker of the EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, Margaritis Schinas said in Brussels, the EU Commission chief had insisted in May on an exit date prior to the EU election. Otherwise, this means that for the EU "institutional difficulties and legal uncertainty". The possibility of a much longer postponement, the Commission's spokesman did not comment. In the Morning, Juncker had said in the Germany radio that he expected a decision by the summit participants on Thursday, it was another EU summit next week is conceivable.

The German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in Berlin, the Federal government welcome the fact that there is now a clear request from the UK. This will be discussed "safe intensive". Federal foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) criticized, may's Letter containing the necessary justification for a Brexit-a postponement, and I have solved "no Problem".

The British house of Commons had rejected the EU negotiated exit contract last week for the second Time. The duration of an extension of the deadline was in the British Cabinet highly controversial. Brexit-hardliners rejected a longer shift. British media reports said several Ministers to resign threatened at a Cabinet meeting.

More about