EU Council president Donald Tusk will suggest to member states Friday that they offer Britain a flexible 12-month Brexit delay to allow it time to prepare an orderly withdrawal.
"This is Tusk's idea," a senior EU official told AFP, confirming news reports. "It will be be presented to member states today." As things stand, Britain is due to leave the European Union at midnight on April 12 next week. Under the suggested extension, Britain would be able to delay this.
If the House of Commons ratifies the withdrawal agreement that Prime Minister Theresa May has already signed with the EU members, London could leave before the year is up.
But if Britain is still a member when the bloc holds elections to the European Parliament on May 23, it will need to take part in the poll and send another batch of MEPs to Strasbourg.
According to British press reports, May is due to write to member states on Friday to lay out her request for an extension.