THE EU Commission has indicated that Theresa May’s request to extend Article 50 until June 30 may not be acceptable.
The Prime Minister has written to EU Council president, Donald Tusk, asking for a delay to Brexit as she tries to rally support from MPs for her withdrawal agreement.
READ: Theresa May's letter to Donald Tusk asking for Brexit delay
According to Reuters, however, an EU Commission document has advised that such an extension would pose major difficulties both legally and politically.
It states that a short delay, which ended before May 23, or a longest extension, until at least the end of the year, are more realistic options.
Reuters
— Sam Coates Times (@SamCoatesTimes) March 20, 2019
BREXIT:EU COMMISSION DOCUMENT SAYS EXTENSION TO JUNE 30 WOULD BE LEGALLY AND POLITICALLY DIFFICULT, MAIN OPTIONS FOR EU LEADERS ARE TO DELAY BREXIT UNTIL BEFORE MAY 23 OR AT LEAST TO THE END OF 2019
The EU has also stated that the UK would be required to participate in European elections in May if an extension was granted – something May said was not in either side’s interests.
READ MORE: Brexit: Theresa May to ask EU for a "short" extension to Article 50
The EU Commission document advised that the UK should only be offered one extension, as multiple delays would leave the bloc in a state of flux, according to Reuters.
Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven have stated their backing for May’s request to extend Article 50.
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