LONDON: Britain’s official departure from the European Union may have to be delayed with many key negotiating issues still to be resolved, Westminster’s Brexit committee suggested Sunday. In a new report on the progress of negotiations, the Exiting the European Union Committee said there had been “little progress made” on key issues, including how to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. “We know of no international border, other than the internal borders of the EU, that operates without checks and physical infrastructure. This is deeply concerning.”Other issues to be resolved include the status of EU citizens arriving in Britain during a transition period—when Britain will continue to follow EU law in return for access to the bloc’s single market for a period of up to two years after officially leaving. The committee warned that affording such citizens different rights from those arriving before Britain officially leaves may be “inconsistent” with EU law.

Source: Manila Times March 18, 2018 14:48 UTC