France has been very clear about its position on Brexit, recently reiterating its opposition to Britain being granted any further Brexit extension if it does not have a concrete plan to share. And France is not alone.
Spain and Belgium have also expressed their displeasure with the situation, agreeing with France’s position. All three countries have signalled their readiness for a no-deal Brexit later on this month if there are no significant new British proposals. According to reports, the French ambassador won the support of Spanish and Belgian colleagues in arguing that there should be – at most – a short article 50 extension to avoid an instant financial crisis.
“We could probably extend for a couple of weeks to prepare ourselves in the market,” says the French ambassador.
Recently, Prime Minister Theresa May requested for Brexit to be delayed until 30 June. The hope was that an extension would give her time to win cross-party agreement on a way forward. While UK lawmakers did agree on requesting another extension to the Brexit process, they have agreed on little since.
May’s own conservative party disagree over her strategy. Two ministers have now resigned from May’s government in protest at her efforts to seek a compromise. Meanwhile, approval of her proposal for an extension appears slim. France’s position on the matter has been echoed by an official statement, which reiterates opposition to any further Brexit delay that does not involve a clear British plan.
France’s secretary of state for European affairs, explained that “The European council took a clear decision on 21 March … Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing.”
“[I]n the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner.”
No-Deal Brexit: What Will It Mean for Merchants?
Unfortunately, it looks more and more likely that Britain could crash out of the EU without a deal. For businesses, no-deal Brexit has already made an impact. Hundreds of millions have already been spent on contingency plans – money that cannot be recouped. UK firms have also already reported drops in sales, exports and investments. Then there are the potential tariffs on goods. Many firms have described this outcome as “extremely” concerning.
In preparation for a no-deal Brexit, many firms are doing all they can to strengthen their business’ position; this includes finding the best merchant services UK. If you need to browse and compare merchant providers, be sure to check out the information and reviews Best Payment Providers has to offer.
Author Bio: Payment industry expert Taylor Cole is a passionate merchant account expert who understands the complicated world of accepting credit and debit cards at your business. His understanding of the industry and the best merchant services UK has helped thousands of business owners save money and time.
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