BRITAIN might one day hopefully rejoin the European Union, Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, has suggested as Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 as early as next week.
The chief Eurocrat, speaking after a meeting of EU members states minus the UK, said: “I don't like Brexit because I would like to be in the same boat as the British. The day will come when the British will re-enter the boat, I hope.
"But Brexit is not the end of the European Union nor the end of all our developments, nor the end of our continental ambitions," he declared.
The meeting in Brussels was the last chance for the leaders of the EU27 to gather together before the formal Brexit process begins.
Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, confirmed that if the Prime Minister did invoke Article 50 next week, there would be an extraordinary meeting of the EU27 on April 6. If it was triggered later this month, the meeting would be pushed back to later in April, she explained.
"We are well-prepared and we shall wait with interest but which day in March it will be is not of such prime importance," Mrs Merkel added.
Donald Tusk, the European Council President, made clear the EU would be ready to respond within two days of Mrs May triggering Brexit.
He and Mr Juncker called for unity among the EU27 ahead of talks. Both stressed the need for political ties to be maintained in the face of Brexit, despite recent calls from Germany, France and Italy for an EU which allowed different countries to advance at their own pace.
Choosing the right moment to start the two-year divorce process is not without its difficulties for Mrs May.
MPs are due on Monday to debate the Brexit Bill and are expected to overturn the changes the House of Lords has made in guaranteeing the status of EU citizens in the UK and on making clear that MPs and not ministers will have the final say on the deal with Brussels.
If peers decide not to prolong the parliamentary ping-pong, then it is possible the legislation could get Royal Assent as soon as Tuesday. This would coincide with the PM delivering her usual Commons statement on the EU summit, which has, coincidentally, been pushed back a day so Mrs May can attend a church service celebrating the Commonwealth on Monday.
However, triggering Brexit on Tuesday or Wednesday might not go down well with the EU27 as midweek the Dutch go to the polls with Geert Wilder’s Freedom Party campaigning for the Netherlands to have its own referendum to leave the EU.
Given the political sensitivities around Brexit for the constitution, the PM if she triggers Article 50 next week is likely to increase tensions with the Scottish Government as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is due to give her keynote speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, which takes place next Friday and Saturday.
If Mrs May waits until the following week, this might also be regarded as risking Brussels wrath as on Saturday March 25 the EU27 will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the bloc.
The Government has said it will trigger Article 50 by the end of the month, which, technically means the PM could do it as late as Friday March 31.
Meantime in other developments:
*Enda Kenny, the Irish Taoiseach, said it would be a "political challenge" to ensure that the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic wass maintained after Brexit, even if the UK quit the European customs union;
*Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's chief negotiator, warned the Brussels body could veto any deal and raised the prospect that British citizens should be able to choose to keep various benefits of EU membership including freedom of movement after Brexit and
*Lord Rose, the former Marks and Spencer boss, claimed Britain's economy could face some "serious rainy days" as it leaves the EU.
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