EU institution never against UK: Brexit negotiator

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.