Business secretary says extending Brexit transition period is an option
Business secretary Greg Clark said today that extending the UK’s transition out of the EU to 2022 was an “option”.
Speaking to the BBC, Clark said there could be a parliamentary vote on extending the transition period out of the EU.
Yesterday the EU’s lead Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier proposed extending the UK’s transition out of the group to December 2022.
In a move that will anger the pro-Brexit wing of the Tory party, Barnier suggested to EU ambassadors that the transition period, could be extended to 2022, following the UK’s official exit in March next year, the Financial Times reported.
During the transition period, the UK’s relationship with the EU will stay broadly the same. It is designed to allow more time for the UK and EU to negotiate a free trade deal.
The current plan is that the UK will leave the EU on 20 March 2019 with the transition period running until 31 December 2020.
Barnier suggested to EU ambassadors that the extension period could be extended until December 2022.
Under the transition period, the UK would continue making substantial contributions to the EU budget and freedom of movement would continue, but it would not be able to vote.