EU Awaits Reworked UK Brexit Proposals, Deal Remains Elusive

The European Union told Britain to rework its Irish backstop proposal by Friday but feared it would struggle to secure a deal that satisfied pro-Brexit lawmakers before a key vote in the UK parliament on Wednesday.

Just 22 days before Britain is due to leave the EU the two sides are locked in a game of brinkmanship and attempts to reach a mutually acceptable deal could go down to the wire.

EU diplomats briefed on the negotiations said the UK’s top lawyer Geoffrey Cox, had proposed a disputes arbitration panel that would not be obliged to refer cases to the EU’s top court, the ECJ, whose jurisdiction Britain wants to leave.

“We are now in a state when we are discussing proposals we have rejected months ago,” an EU diplomat said.

While the EU still hopes for a breakthrough at the weekend, Brussels fears British Prime Minister Theresa May could try to negotiate directly with the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit on March 21-22, just a week before Brexit day.