British Prime Minister Theresa May
British Prime Minister Theresa May will address European Union counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday but there is little hope on either side of a quick breakthrough after Brexit talks stalled at the weekend.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed a hardening tone among the 27 other governments, whose leaders will gather over dinner after a presentation by May to discuss stepping up preparations for Britain dropping out of the EU with no deal in March.
All member states, she said before flying to the summit, must prepare for all outcomes: "That includes the possibility that Britain leaves the European Union without a deal."
With wrangling over how to keep Northern Ireland's land border with the EU open after Britain leaves the EU's customs and regulatory space, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said it was unlikely the 27 leaders would set a date for a special summit to seal a deal - as was the hope before talks stalled.
An official public survey revealed on Wednesday the dissatisfaction of half of the European citizens with the direction EU heads in.Eurobarometer, which conducts official surveys of the EU revealed the the findings about people’s opinions. The fieldwork of survey was carried out between Sept. 8-26, 2018 among 27,474 Europeans aged 16 or more in 28 EU member states.The survey revealed that 50 percent of Europeans aren’t satisfied with the direction EU is heading in while a clear appreciation for EU membership, reaching 68 percent.'Serbia must solve issues with Kosovo on EU path'Public opinion also seems quite stable in terms of expectations about the role of the EU in the future, with 48 percent wanting the EU to play a more important role, as opposed to 27% preferring less.The survey also revealed that the immigration topped the agenda with 50 percent, followed by economy with 47 percent and youth unemployment with 47 percent, while combatting terrorism moved down to the fourth place with 44 percent as problems considered by EU citizens.Some 66 percent of respondents would vote for their country to remain a member of the EU and only 17 percent would contemplate leaving, according to the survey.Berlin braced for all Brexit scenarios, including no deal: MerkelEurope may need to change Saudi policies over Khashoggi case: Merkel ally
Half of Europeans not satisfied with EU’s direction
Summit chair Donald Tusk called on May to come to Brussels with "creative" new ideas to unblock the process, but British officials have given little indication she has much new to say as she battles deep opposition among her own allies to the kind of agreement which Brussels says is pretty much its final offer.
May told parliament in London she wanted any treaty that includes the Irish border issue linked to a separate declaration the two sides intend to issue on their intentions for a close EU-UK trade pact to be negotiated after Brexit.
EU negotiators agree that a close customs and regulatory relationship could avert the kind of border disruption that could revive sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland, but they still want a "backstop" guarantee that if that is not in place, then the EU would keep the province in a special economic zone.
May and her Northern Irish allies reject that as posing a risk of breaking up the United Kingdom.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was still a chance of concluding an agreement for an orderly exit for Britain from the European Union, but Berlin was preparing for all options, including the possibility of a no-deal departure.Addressing the German parliament ahead of a Wednesday evening European summit on issues including Brexit, Merkel said agreement had yet to be reached on arrangements for the border between the north and south of Ireland.Germany's preparations for the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement included looking at the status of the roughly 100,000 British citizens who lived in Germany and the status of those of them who were German state employees.Longer Brexit transition period would not hurt Europe"I want Britain to be a close and trusting partner for Europe after leaving," she said. "Now, as before, there is a chance of reaching a good and solid withdrawal agreement."But it must be clear that in the end there will always be a difference between membership of the EU and being a partner," she added. 
Berlin braced for all Brexit scenarios, including no deal: Merkel
TRANSITION EXTENSION
EU diplomats told Reuters on Monday that EU negotiator Michel Barnier offered to help defuse the issue by extending a status-quo transition period for Britain by an extra year to the end of 2021 to give time for a trade deal that would avert the need to trigger a backstop for Northern Ireland.
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, whose chamber needs to see a treaty this year to have time to ratify it by March, told reporters that he would support Barnier's proposal to lengthen the transition period to three years from two.
Many continental officials involved in the process have long said a longer transition may be needed to conclude a free trade deal anyway. However, May is also under pressure from Brexit supporters to cut ties to the bloc as soon as possible.
Turkey and the U.K. should sign a free trade agreement (FTA) to protect bilateral trade from the effects of Brexit, said a member of the executive board of the Business Council of the U.K. on Tuesday.Speaking at the U.K.-Turkey Business Forum in Istanbul, Devrim Cubukcu said: "If countries do not sign an FTA, Turkey's exports will be stuck in the U.K.'s customs and bilateral trade will be affected badly."This situation will break the supply chain in the EU and Turkey is an important component of automotive, retail trade and defense, he added.Longer Brexit transition period would not hurt EuropeMehmet Tan, the EU general manager in Turkey's Trade Ministry, said the U.K. is an important destination for Turkish investments."Between the two countries, there is a cooperation in several areas such as automotive, textile, machinery, defense, aviation, and renewable energy," he said.He added that trade between the two countries should be tax-free.Emma Edhem, chairman of Turkish British Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Turkey is saving its strong economic position."Despite Brexit, trade between the two countries will not be affected," she added.
'Turkey, UK should sign free trade agreement'
May is due to address her peers at 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). There is unlikely to be much dialogue around the table, with EU leaders insisting London negotiate exclusively through Barnier.
The 27 will move to a dinner without May to hear reports from Barnier and from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. He will brief them on how the EU executive is stepping up planning and guidance for governments on what must be done to cope with Britain leaving on March 29 with no treaty in place.
Both sides are coming under pressure from business to reach agreement soon to avoid firms running up needless costs.
It would not hurt Europe if Britain was allowed to remain in the European Union customs union and internal market beyond an agreed transitional arrangement, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said."What can be extended with no major problem is the Jan. 1, 2020 date for the transition period. If a year is added to that it won't hurt Europe, I hope not Britain as well," Asselborn told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Wednesday.German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung had reported late on Tuesday that the European Commission had offered to extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020. Under growing EU pressure, May meets her ministers on BrexitGermany well-prepared for all Brexit scenariosPM May to be given floor on Brexit before EU leaders dinner on Wednesday
Longer Brexit transition period would not hurt Europe
A joint pre-summit plea from the European auto and car parts sector warned disruption to cross-Channel supply chains would be "catastrophic" and wipe out much of a quarter-century of recovery in England's car industry.
May will rejoin her counterparts for a regular EU summit on Thursday, to be followed in the evening and on Friday by a summit with Asian leaders, including China's Premier Li Keqiang and the prime ministers of Japan, South Korea and Russia.