Brexit: EU decision expected next week over a period of postponement

Brussels (AFP)

The EU's 27 ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Friday rejected a decision on the timing of a new Brexit postponement, EU sources said.

EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier described Friday's talks as "excellent". "The work will continue in the coming days," said a spokeswoman for the European Commission.

According to several European sources, a new meeting of ambassadors will be held Monday or Tuesday to finalize a decision on the duration of the additional period, while a vote is expected Monday in the British Parliament on the holding of early elections proposed by Boris Johnson.

A European ambassador said Tuesday was an "informal deadline", two days ahead of the planned date of 31 October for the divorce.

In the EU, some countries, such as Ireland, are arguing for a three-month postponement to 31 January 2020, a deadline that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to ask. But others, like France, ask for more clarity on the intentions of the British before deciding.

© 2019 AFP