The British government has asked the EU to consider granting the UK a longer Brexit transition period than the one proposed by Brussels.
The European Commission has said the transition, during which the UK would be bound by EU rules despite being outside the bloc, should end on 31 December 2020, but UK negotiators said on Wednesday that they want to discuss the possibility of a longer duration.
“The UK believes the Period’s duration should be determined simply by how long it will take to prepare and implement the new processes and new systems that will underpin the future partnership,” negotiators said in an explanatory note leaked ahead of its planned publication.
“The UK agrees this points to a period of around two years, but wishes to discuss with the EU the assessment that supports its proposed end date.”
In a proposed amendment to the transition agreement – which is currently being pored over by negotiators on both sides – the UK has bracketed out “[31 December 2020]”, which was the EU’s proposed end date.
The development confirms reports by The Independent last month that the UK was considering asking for a longer period because it was not sure that the duration proposed by Brussels would give it enough time to prepare.
The transition is highly controversial with Conservative Brexiteers, who say that it amounts to making Britain a “vassal state” of the EU where it would follow EU rules without having any say over what they were. Brexit Secretary David Davis has however said the period is a “bridge to the future” and only amounts to a “short period” in the EU’s orbit.