AHEAD of the Prime Minister’s latest visit to Brussels, the EU has reiterated that it will not reopen the withdrawal agreement.
Theresa May is due to meet with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday.
The commission’s spokesperson Margaritis Schinas confirmed the meeting on Tuesday at a daily briefing in the Belgian capital, saying that negotiations between May and Juncker would aim to solve the current impasse.
That would not include reopening the withdrawal agreement though, he said.
Schinas added: “We cannot accept a time limit to the backstop or a unilateral exit clause,” he said.
“Further talks will be held this week to see whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the UK Parliament and respect the guidelines agreed by the European Council.”
Downing Street has urged the EU to work with the UK Government if a deal is to be reached. But Juncker said a Brexit breakthrough would be “in God’s hands”.
In an interview with a German newspaper the EU Commission president said an extension of Article 50 was an option to avoid a no-deal.
“When it comes to Brexit, it is like being before the courts or on the high seas; we are in God’s hands,” he told Stuttgart Zeitung.
“And we can never quite be sure when God will take the matter in hand.”
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