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  • Page 1 — Great Britain and EU need more time
  • Page 2 — is re a balance between rights and obligations?

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    Franziska Brantner is European political spokesperson for Greens group in Bundestag. From 2009 to 2013, she was a member of European Parliament.

    The recent statements by Brexit negotiators remind of James Dean film, in which protagonists ride ir cars as courage on cliff. Whoever jumps out first loses. It is also called chicken game, “chicken”.

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    So Britain’s trade minister Liam Fox said on weekend that he estimated probability of a no-deal scenario at 60 percent. Blame is intransigence of European Union. Shortly reafter, head of conservative EPP Group in European Parliament told Manfred Weber that a hard Brexit would be more likely “from day to day.” And EU Commission has already issued a paper with tips in case UK leaves EU without agreement at end of March 2019.

    Franziska Brantner, European political spokesperson for Greens © Soeren Jabbe/DPA

    Those who lose ir nerves first in this chicken game would have to dodge and change course. In case of British, this could mean accepting payments and rules that you actually reject. If EU breaks down first, it should eir create red tape monsters or accept loopholes that could be exploited by criminals. These are all options that would weaken EU in long term. This would be detrimental not only to peace in Norrn Ireland, but to all European citizens, including British. There would certainly not be an agreement on which to build trusting cooperation.

    There is anor solution

    Only: It doesn’t have to come that far! That is why it is important – wher Brexit fan or not – to remember that this is not only option in view of end of March 2019.

    What is clear is that, with its withdrawal request and poor negotiating performance, UK has forced EU into this chicken game and is refore primary responsibility for not crashing. But all of m must now go for damage limitation. And re is a way to prevent a rush of total damage: instead of pushing a questionable and fragile exit agreement with a lot of forklift, Britain could make a request for an extension of exit negotiations. This possibility opens up Article 50, which regulates modalities of an exit in EU treaties. This requires a United Kingdom agreement with all EU Member States.

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    If looming Brexit cliff was shifted back from March 29, 2019, re would be more time to negotiate a balanced political memorandum outlining broad features of future relations between Britain and EU, and thus a A viable exit agreement.

    With ir lack of planning and also due to cowardice of Brexit fans, British have wasted so much time that until recently it was not clear what British actually want. The negotiation phase so far has not been as productive as it should be. But now British white Paper, and thus at least a British position, is on table – even if re are many questions and much to criticize.