UK Rejects France-Finland Request To Present Irish Backstop Replacement Plans - Reports

The UK government refused on Thursday to adhere to France and Finland's joint request for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to present within a two-week deadline a formal proposal for its plans to replace the controversial Irish backstop provision, media reported

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2019) The UK government refused on Thursday to adhere to France and Finland's joint request for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to present within a two-week deadline a formal proposal for its plans to replace the controversial Irish backstop provision, media reported.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne expressed concern over the UK government's undisclosed plans to replace the Irish backstop proposal that was outlined in the original Brexit deal negotiated by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, but that was rejected by parliament. The two officials gave Johnson until September 30 to present his plans so that the EU leaders had enough time to review them before an October 17 summit.

"We will table formal written solutions when we are ready, not according to an artificial deadline, and when the EU is clear that it will engage constructively on them as a replacement for the backstop," a UK government spokesman said, as cited by the Guardian news outlet.

The spokesman added that the government would present only informal "non-papers," a way for it to float proposals for discussion without committing to an official position.

Frustrations have been mounting over Johnson's unclear position regarding the backstop as the October 31 deadline for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union approaches. On Wednesday, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker urged Johnson to present his formal plans for replacing the backstop provision.

The so-called backstop entails keeping the entire United Kingdom in the EU Customs Union, with Northern Ireland complying with some EU Single Market rules, in case of a no-deal scenario. The measure would be put into effect if a consensus on all terms of post-Brexit relations is not reached by the end of the transition period. While Johnson has advocated for removing this provision of the deal, the European Union has repeatedly stated it is not willing to renegotiate.