With 50 days remaining until Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March, the two sides have agreed to continue exploring possible tweaks to the Brexit deal that might get it over the line in the House of Commons, while still respecting the EU27’s guidelines.
So far, neither looks set to budge. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for Westminster, Brussels and businesses. Here are some of the key dates and deadlines as Brexit finally gets real.
8 February: possible export problems. From this week, freighters setting sail from UK ports with cargo for far-flung destinations such as Australia and New Zealand, a journey of about 50 days, risk arriving after Brexit day with – in the event of a no-deal Brexit – no idea of the trade rules that will be in place.
14 February: Brexit debate in the Commons. This is most likely to be a general debate following a prime ministerial statement, because Theresa May will almost certainly not have a revised deal by then. But amendments to the motion could lead to “indicative votes” on Brexit options or an extension of the two-year article 50 process, possibly via a relaunched Yvette Cooper-Nick Boles amendment setting a deadline for MPs to back the agreement.
14 February: first statutory instrument deadline. According to the Institute for Government, this is the final day on which about half the secondary legislation needed to import EU laws can be introduced, because parliament must be given 40 sitting days to object to it. EU-related SIs can be passed more quickly in “urgent circumstances”, but still need to be approved by both houses within a 28-day window.
17 February: more trade woes. From this date, ships setting sail for Japan from the UK and vice versa could arrive to find themselves in the middle of no-deal tariff mayhem.
20 February: international…
