Categories: Brexit

The Maximum Brexit Delay is Three Months- Or We Elect MEPs

This is an interesting little circumstance. If we stay in the European Union then of course we’ve got to have elections to elect Members of the European Parliament. We also have to offer up a Commissioner. Obviously, if we’re not going to stay in then we don’t have to do either of those two things.

If we continue to dither then how long can we do so before the necessity of resolving this question comes to ahead? July 1 apparently:

[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] No long Brexit delay without election of British MEPs, says leaked paper
Britain forfeits any extension longer than three months if it does not contest EU elections Brussels will have to terminate the UK’s extended membership of the European Union on 1 July if elections for British MEPs have not been held, a leaked legal document reveals. A three-month delay to Brexit beyond 29 March will not carry any conditions, but anything longer than that requires Britain to have taken part in European parliamentary elections, ambassadors have been told. [/perfectpullquote] [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] EU law does not stand in the way of multiple extensions to the UK’s membership if requested, the document says. But if elections had not been held in May, and the UK subsequently sought to stay on as a member state to avoid a no-deal Brexit, for example, the EU would be bound to reject a request, the document seen by the Guardian says. “No extension should be granted beyond 1 July unless the European parliament elections are held at the mandatory date”, the legal opinion shared among ambassadors on Friday says. [/perfectpullquote]

At which point there’s no reason to extend Article 50, is there? For we’re not going to reach any more agreement in 90 days than we’ve got now. So, excellent, out to WTO terms it is on March 29th then. Huzzah.

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Tim Worstall

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Jonathan Harston says:

March 16, 2019 at 5:31 pm

We also need to pass legislation to uncancel the EU elections, which would have to be done before the Notice of Election would need to be published. EU elections being three weeks after normal local elections, and local elections opening last Wednesday, that means they've got just over two weeks before the carpet is pulled out from under them.
Leo Savantt says:

March 16, 2019 at 8:43 pm

Rejoicing at this stage is premature. Mrs. May is likely to seek an extension to the deadline, the Commission are mulling over one for two years, but the Irish and Czechs are suggesting four. Apart from the DUP and the ERG nearly all in parliament are working to thwart Brexit, including one suspects Mrs. May. There are two likely outcomes, the WA is presented yet again and passes, this would be a calamity as it is deeply worrying, not for the Red Herring of the Irish issue but for much more serious concerns relating to security and military matters, not to mention trade deals. The other option is a long extension, leading to a ridiculous referendum which Labour have suggested offering the choice of a bad deal or remain, or perhaps a general election. Leaving without the appalling WA on 29th March seems unlikely, the UK parliament is against it, the European Council is against it, and the European Commission is against it. The British people might be for it, but as we know in the European Union the views of the people count for nought.
Pat says:

March 17, 2019 at 9:16 am

Just because something is stupid doesn't mean Parliament won't do it.
CJ Nerd says:

March 17, 2019 at 10:18 am

Nice quote a few days ago from Nigel Farage:

“Guy Verhofstadt said earlier that I would ‘hijack’ the European elections, if they took place.

What I think he meant is I would ‘obtain a lot of votes’.”

https://thebrexitparty.org/social/