Germans Call For Brexit To Be Delayed Until End Of 2020

Germans call for Brexit to be delayed until end of 2020: 'Five wise men' group of economists tell Angela Merkel extension would be 'sensible'....
Britain should delay Brexit by up to two years or a deal will fall apart, Angela Merkel’s advisers say.

In a controversial assessment that will anger Downing Street, five senior economists said Brussels should prepare for Britain to remain a member of the bloc until the end of 2020.

The economists who form the Council of Experts, also known as ‘five wise men’, told Germany’s Chancellor that an extension to negotiations would be ‘sensible’.

As part of the move they recommend the UK all but replicates its current EU membership conditions, which would likely be for two years until the current EU budget ends in 2020.

‘The Council of Experts believes a one-off extension [of Brexit negotiations] that largely preserves the status quo would be sensible,’ they said.

Such an extension would need to be requested by the UK before being agreed unanimously by other member states.

They said: ‘If [preventing Brexit] is not possible, the objective of the negotiations should be to conclude a follow-up agreement that minimises damage from both sides. It is likely more time will be needed to negotiate this kind of agreement.’

In their annual report to the German parliament, the advisers also warned about the risk of a ‘no deal’ which they said could cause significant economic upheaval in the bloc.