Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said she was planning to negotiate both Brexit and Britain's future relationship with the EU by 2019 but a transition period may be required after that.
Appearing before a parliamentary committee, May said companies and government might require time to adjust, in her first comments explicitly evoking a possible transition arrangement to ease Britain's EU departure.
"I would expect us to be able to negotiate a deal in the two-year period. But it may be the case that there may be some practical aspects that require a period of implementation thereafter," she said.
Finance Minister Philip Hammond has said such a deal could be "helpful" to "manage the adjustment between where we are now, as full members of the European Union, and where we get to in the future".
It "would tend towards a smoother transition and would run less risks of disruption including, crucially, risks to financial stability which must be a fairly real concern", he said last week.
- 'Cliff-edge' -
Speaking at a summit of the Confederation of British Industry in November, May had alluded to a transition deal saying: "We don't want a cliff-edge".
CBI president Paul Drechsler at the same conference said: "Businesses are inevitably considering the cliff-edge scenario -- a sudden and overnight transformation in trading conditions.
"If this happens, firms could find themselves stranded in a regulatory no man's land," he said.
A report published by the business lobby group on Wednesday called for a "barrier-free relationship with our largest, closest and most important trading partner".
The CBI report followed a consultation with its members which stressed a holistic approach to business is needed for the Brexit negotiations, reflecting fears the government could focus its attention on the financial sector.
"The Government will need to take a 'whole economy' approach to avoid leaving sectors behind," said Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI director-general.
A government spokesperson said Downing Street agrees "we want a smooth and orderly exit that works for all sectors of the UK economy".
- Brexit speech next month -
Grilled by MPs on Tuesday about the timing of the exit deal and the new trade arrangements with the EU, May said: "I am working on the basis that we will look to negotiate those in parallel.
"I think that is what makes sense," she added.
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier earlier this month said the deal on Britain's departure should be brokered by October 2018 to allow for ratification times on the EU side.
He also said the EU "needs to know" the full details of Britain's plans for its long-term relationship with the EU before any interim deal was possible.
"As we don't know what the UK wants and is waiting for, it's difficult to imagine a transitional period," he said.
May also on Tuesday dismissed questions about whether the British parliament would be allowed to vote on the final Brexit deal that is negotiated, saying only it would be given time to discuss the issues.
She said she would give a speech on Brexit next month with more details of the government's plans and planned to stick to the timetable of beginning the formal procedure for Brexit by March at the latest.
"We will meet that timetable," she said.
Britain's Supreme Court is set to rule in January on whether parliament's approval is required for May to trigger the Article 50 exit process, which gives a two-year timetable for negotiating a deal unless both Britain and the EU agree to an extension.
AFP
Wed Dec 21 2016
A still image take from footage broadcast by the UK's Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) shows Theresa May answering questions during a session of the Commons Liason Committee at the Houses of Parliament in London, Dec 20, 2016. / AFP PHOTO
TVET_ HRDCorp, Khazanah, GiatMARA, PERKESO turut dipertingkat
Khazanah menyediakan 200 juta ringgit melalui Program
Pembangunan Belia Khazanah (K-Youth) bagi membekalkan
11 ribu bakat tempatan kepada sektor utama seperti
semikonduktor #Belanjawan2025
#Belanjawan25
Pembangunan Belia Khazanah (K-Youth) bagi membekalkan
11 ribu bakat tempatan kepada sektor utama seperti
semikonduktor #Belanjawan2025
#Belanjawan25
KDN, MINDEF masing-masing terima RM19.5 bilion dan RM21.2 bilion
Kata PM, maruah dan kedaulatan negara perlu terus terpelihara daripada sebarang ancaman. Keharmonian dikecapi selama ini tidak boleh diganggu-gugat.
Belanjawan 2025: Ini 12 inisiatif penting untuk usahawan
Dengan landskap ekonomi yang semakin mencabar, kerajaan memperkenalkan pelbagai langkah untuk memastikan usahawan kekal relevan, berdaya saing, dan mampu berkembang di peringkat tempatan serta global.
“Kepada cinta aku bertanya…” - PM
PM berpuisi dengan tajuk kepada cinta sebagai akhirulkalam pembentangan #Belanjawan2025.
Pembangunan sukan negara terima RM230 juta tahun depan
RM15 juta kepada Pasukan Harimau Malaya, Pasukan bawah 18 dan dan bawah 13 dengan kerjasama FAM bagi dapatkan jurulatih terbaik, ikuti sesi latihan terbaik serta diberi ganjaran kepada pemain.
Peruntukan hal ehwal Islam berjumlah RM2 bilion tahun depan - PM
Kata PM, Kerajaan bersetuju menambah kuota guru KAFA sebanyak 1,500 orang, selari dengan tuntutan pendidikan fardu ain untuk anak-anak.
#Belanjawan2025
#Belanjawan25
#Belanjawan2025
#Belanjawan25
RM500 pada guru KAFA, takmir, imam, bilal, tok siak, noja & marbut
Ia sebagai tanda penghargaan kepada golongan berkenaan kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Kadar bantuan kebajikan bulanan kepada rakyat miskin ditingkatkan
Kadar bantuan kebajikan bulanan kepada rakyat miskin akan
ditingkatkan termasuk Kadar Bantuan Warga Emas dinaikkan kepada RM600.
ditingkatkan termasuk Kadar Bantuan Warga Emas dinaikkan kepada RM600.
RM900 juta laksana 48 Program Residensi Rakyat (PRR) - PM
Hampir RM900 juta laksana 48 Program Residensi Rakyat (PRR) dan 14 projek Rumah Mesra Rakyat - Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Dalam masa sama, PM berkata, bagi menggalakkan pemilikan rumah pertama, Kerajaan bercadang memberikan pelepasan cukai individu sehingga RM7,000.
#Belanjawan2025
#AWANInews
Dalam masa sama, PM berkata, bagi menggalakkan pemilikan rumah pertama, Kerajaan bercadang memberikan pelepasan cukai individu sehingga RM7,000.
#Belanjawan2025
#AWANInews
Belanjawan 2025: Pemberian Khas Sabah, Sarawak dicadang dinaikkan RM600 juta
Kerajaan bercadang menaikkan Kadar Pemberian Khas Sabah dan Sarawak sekali ganda kepada RM600 juta.
Tidak realistik untuk runding semula protokol - Suruhanjaya Eropah
Badan eksekutif Kesatuan Eropah itu akan melancarkan prosedur pelanggaran bagi melindungi pasaran tunggal blok itu daripada risiko pencabulan protokol.
Pasca-Brexit: Kekurangan bekalan makanan dibimbangi di UK
Bermula 1 Jan, pengimport mesti membuat pengisytiharan kastam penuh mengenai barangan yang dibawa masuk ke UK dari EU atau negara lain.
Pemuda UMNO cadang pembentukan Kabinet Perang
Perdana Menteri boleh meletakkan jawatan atau menasihati Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk membubarkan Parlimen jika tidak lagi mendapat majoriti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasca-Brexit: Kesatuan Eropah tidak akan runding semula perjanjian asal
Kerajaan UK sebelum ini menyatakan, pemeriksaan sempadan yang dikenakan terhadap barangan dari Ireland Utara terbukti tidak dapat dilaksanakan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hubungan dengan EU: UK minta runding semula babitkan peraturan dagang
Protokol itu perlu ditulis semula kerana ia melemahkan proses perdamaian dan mempengaruhi kehidupan rakyat di Ireland Utara.
Pasca-Brexit: Parlimen Eropah akan sahkan perjanjian perdagangan
Rancangan asal EU bertujuan mengelak pembukaan sempadan antara Ireland dengan Ireland Utara menjadi pintu belakang bagi bekalan vaksin.
Nelayan Britain berdepan risiko hilang pendapatan susulan larangan eksport EU
Larangan itu dibuat selepas Britain meninggalkan EU pada 1 Januari lalu, yang mana hasil laut yang berkenaan perlu dibersihkan sebelum digunakan dan tidak boleh dijual kepada 27 ahli blok berkenaan.
Kalau tidak politik, kami nak main apa, Mak Yong, congkak? - Salahuddin Ayub
Pakatan Harapan (PH) akan terus berpolitik demi memastikan suara rakyat terus didengari meskipun ada desakan supaya sebarang bentuk politik dihentikan buat masa ini.