British MPs call for extension to Article 50 period

LONDON - A committee of British MPs called on Sunday for an extension to the Article 50 period which decrees that Britain leaves the European Union (EU) next March.

In a warning, Hilary Benn, chair of the House of Commons' Exiting the European Committee, said that a "no deal" scenario is a significant danger to Britain.

British Prime Minister Theresa May triggered a two-year countdown for leaving the EU when she handed Britain's withdrawal notice to Brussels last March.

The committee said in a report published Sunday that is difficult to see how a Brexit deal covering everything can be negotiated in the time that remains. It said the British government should consider whether a limited extension to the Article 50 period is needed.

According to the MPs, citizens' rights, the Northern Ireland border, a wide range of separation issues and the shape of Britain's future economic relationship with the EU will dominate the months of negotiation between now and October 2018, the deadline set by Britain and the EU.

The report says: "If substantial aspects of the Future Partnership remain to be agreed in October 2018, the government should seek a limited extension to the Article 50 time to ensure that an agreement on the Future EU-UK Partnership is sufficiently detailed and comprehensive."

The committee also recommended that a proposed two-year transition/implementation period should be capable of being extended if this proves necessary.

Committee chairman Benn said: "The government must now come forward with credible, detailed proposals as to how it can operate a 'frictionless border' between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland because at the moment, the Committee is not persuaded that this can be done at the same time as the UK is leaving the single market and the customs union."

Benn said in the past few days the Brexit Secretary David Davis has said he can live with a transition period of under two years if it helps to secure an early deal.

"But even this time could prove to be too short to conclude a comprehensive agreement. Given the modelling we have seen, a no deal scenario is a significant danger to the UK," added Benn.