By Erdogan Cagatay Zontur
ANKARA (AA) – The EU agrees with the U.K.’s amendment requiring the “backstop clause ” to be replaced by “alternative arrangements “, the chief Brexit negotiator said on Wednesday.
EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said prior to a meeting of the European Parliament Brexit Steering group: “The EU institution remains united and we stand by the agreement we have negotiated with the U.K., never against the U.K.”
The European parliament's Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt said: “The House of Commons voted against a no deal scenario.”
He added: “There is a possibility to discuss it [backstop clause] for future relationships”.
Verhofstadt also said that the backstop is an “insurance ” that avoids a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
On Tuesday, an amendment for Britain to seek “alternative arrangements” with the European Union passed parliament by a vote of 317-301.
May said in a statement afterward that there is a route that can get a “substantial and sustainable majority in this House for leaving the EU with a deal”.
The amendment “requires the Northern Ireland backstop to be replaced with alternative arrangements to avoid a hard border, supports leaving the EU with a deal and would therefore support the withdrawal agreement subject to this change”.
British voters decided to leave the EU after the country’s more than 40-year membership in a 2016 referendum.
The U.K. is set to leave the EU on March 29, less than two months away.
