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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/10/uk-set-to-lose-european-commissioner-role-over-brexit-delay
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| UK set to lose European commissioner role over Brexit delay | UK set to lose European commissioner role over Brexit delay |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| France is expected to demand the removal of the post of British European commissioner as a price for a long Brexit delay, leaving Britain without a seat at the top table of Brussels decision-making for the first time since 1973. | France is expected to demand the removal of the post of British European commissioner as a price for a long Brexit delay, leaving Britain without a seat at the top table of Brussels decision-making for the first time since 1973. |
| Senior EU sources say the French president, Emmanuel Macron, is likely to seek to entrench the UK’s reduced status in the EU at the leaders’ Brexit summit on Wednesday evening. | Senior EU sources say the French president, Emmanuel Macron, is likely to seek to entrench the UK’s reduced status in the EU at the leaders’ Brexit summit on Wednesday evening. |
| The British government will have to agree to losing its commissioner but it is unlikely the prime minister would put up a fight when she is presented with the terms of an extension. | |
| Theresa May’s appeal to leaders for a limited extension to 30 June is expected to be rejected by the leaders, but the EU27 are split between those who support a Brexit delay until 31 December this year, and those who think the end of March 2020 would be “safest”. | |
| The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is said to favour an extension to March 2020, to allow the maximum feasible amount of time for Westminster to find a way forward and “kick the can down the road”, a senior diplomat said. | The European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is said to favour an extension to March 2020, to allow the maximum feasible amount of time for Westminster to find a way forward and “kick the can down the road”, a senior diplomat said. |
| France has been an outspoken critic of allowing the UK to extend its EU membership without a clear plan, suggesting that Britain’s crisis should not be allowed to take the bloc “hostage”. | France has been an outspoken critic of allowing the UK to extend its EU membership without a clear plan, suggesting that Britain’s crisis should not be allowed to take the bloc “hostage”. |
| The EU27 will decide whether to give the UK a further extension. Theresa May is hoping for an exit date in June 2019, but it seems likely EU leaders will insist on a longer one - providing they can all agree. | The EU27 will decide whether to give the UK a further extension. Theresa May is hoping for an exit date in June 2019, but it seems likely EU leaders will insist on a longer one - providing they can all agree. |
| If EU leaders have not offered an extension, this is the date the UK is due, by international law, to leave the EU with no deal. However, the Cooper-Letwin bill in parliament has ruled this out in the UK. | If EU leaders have not offered an extension, this is the date the UK is due, by international law, to leave the EU with no deal. However, the Cooper-Letwin bill in parliament has ruled this out in the UK. |
| The EU will vote for a new set of MEPs. If Brexit has been delayed beyond 30 June, then the UK will hold European elections on Thursday 23 May. The Conservative party has told potential candidates to be ready to stand. | The EU will vote for a new set of MEPs. If Brexit has been delayed beyond 30 June, then the UK will hold European elections on Thursday 23 May. The Conservative party has told potential candidates to be ready to stand. |
| Theresa May is expected to stand down after the UK leaves the EU on whatever date, having agreed that somebody else should lead the next phase of negotiations. This will trigger a Conservative leadership election. There has been some suggestion that she might hold out through the summer so that the contest takes place after the next Tory conference in October. | Theresa May is expected to stand down after the UK leaves the EU on whatever date, having agreed that somebody else should lead the next phase of negotiations. This will trigger a Conservative leadership election. There has been some suggestion that she might hold out through the summer so that the contest takes place after the next Tory conference in October. |
| Donald Tusk has proposed a flexible extension, allowing the UK to leave the EU at some point before a cut-off date of 10 April 2020, when the UK parliament can ratify an orderly departure. | Donald Tusk has proposed a flexible extension, allowing the UK to leave the EU at some point before a cut-off date of 10 April 2020, when the UK parliament can ratify an orderly departure. |
| But Paris is now expected to turn its focus on the conditions of a further Brexit delay, including the removal of Britain’s seat in the European commission, currently filled by Sir Julian King, who has the security portfolio. | But Paris is now expected to turn its focus on the conditions of a further Brexit delay, including the removal of Britain’s seat in the European commission, currently filled by Sir Julian King, who has the security portfolio. |
| Under a provision of the Lisbon treaty, Brussels is able to reduce the number of commissioners from its current 28, under which each member state is represented in the EU’s executive branch. | Under a provision of the Lisbon treaty, Brussels is able to reduce the number of commissioners from its current 28, under which each member state is represented in the EU’s executive branch. |
| France’s expected move will not receive the automatic support of other EU capitals who would be concerned about the loosening of the tie between the number of member states and commissioners. | |
| Merkel and Macron under pressure as May seeks new Brexit delay | Merkel and Macron under pressure as May seeks new Brexit delay |
| Britain’s first commissioners at the time of its accession to the then European economic community in 1973 were Christopher Soames, a son-in-law of Winston Churchill, and George Thomson, who had previously sat in Harold Wilson’s cabinet as secretary of state for Commonwealth affairs. | Britain’s first commissioners at the time of its accession to the then European economic community in 1973 were Christopher Soames, a son-in-law of Winston Churchill, and George Thomson, who had previously sat in Harold Wilson’s cabinet as secretary of state for Commonwealth affairs. |
| Senior diplomats have suggested that France would also be more comfortable with any extension being limited to the end of the year due to concerns in Paris over Britain becoming a difficult member state. | Senior diplomats have suggested that France would also be more comfortable with any extension being limited to the end of the year due to concerns in Paris over Britain becoming a difficult member state. |
| But under the terms of its extended membership, the UK will be asked to sign up to an “enhanced duty of sincere cooperation” with the EU, in reference to a responsibility to keep out of the bloc’s long-term planning. | |
| France wants the summit communique to add in language stating that the “UK will not obstruct decisions taken at 27”. | |
| The EU, on the advice of Jean-Claude Juncker, will additionally follow the precedent set following the formation of the Eurozone, under which countries that have not adopted the Euro are left out of meetings. | The EU, on the advice of Jean-Claude Juncker, will additionally follow the precedent set following the formation of the Eurozone, under which countries that have not adopted the Euro are left out of meetings. |
| In this case, only the UK would be outside the room on discussions over long-term planning, such as the appointment of the new president of the European commission and the seven-year multi-annual financial framework (MFF), setting out the top lines of the budget for the next commission term. | In this case, only the UK would be outside the room on discussions over long-term planning, such as the appointment of the new president of the European commission and the seven-year multi-annual financial framework (MFF), setting out the top lines of the budget for the next commission term. |
| The UK would be expected to refrain from using its veto on the MFF but senior diplomats said there would be a way around the problem if the British government went “rogue”. “We can make the decisions together at 27 and formalise it once the UK has gone,” said a source. | The UK would be expected to refrain from using its veto on the MFF but senior diplomats said there would be a way around the problem if the British government went “rogue”. “We can make the decisions together at 27 and formalise it once the UK has gone,” said a source. |
| A senior EU diplomat said the risk of Britain turning into a disruptive member state had been overblown by the Conservative MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and some EU capitals for their own purposes. | A senior EU diplomat said the risk of Britain turning into a disruptive member state had been overblown by the Conservative MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and some EU capitals for their own purposes. |
| A draft summit communique, obtained by the Guardian, and to be agreed by the EU27’s leaders on Wednesday, assumes in return for an extension a “commitment by the United Kingdom to act in a constructive and responsible manner throughout this unique period in accordance with the duty of sincere cooperation”. | A draft summit communique, obtained by the Guardian, and to be agreed by the EU27’s leaders on Wednesday, assumes in return for an extension a “commitment by the United Kingdom to act in a constructive and responsible manner throughout this unique period in accordance with the duty of sincere cooperation”. |
| It goes on to say the EU “expects the United Kingdom to fulfil this treaty obligation in a manner that reflects its situation as a withdrawing member state”, while the length of the extension is left blank. | It goes on to say the EU “expects the United Kingdom to fulfil this treaty obligation in a manner that reflects its situation as a withdrawing member state”, while the length of the extension is left blank. |
| “To this effect, the United Kingdom shall facilitate the achievement of the union’s tasks and refrain from any measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the union’s objectives,” it adds. | “To this effect, the United Kingdom shall facilitate the achievement of the union’s tasks and refrain from any measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the union’s objectives,” it adds. |
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