BRUSSELS, October 18. /TASS/. The European Parliament will vote on the Brexit deal at the beginning of next week, French President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference after the EU summit.
"On Sunday, the British House of Commons is due to vote, while the European Parliament will do so at the beginning of next week," Macron said.
"I hope we can stick to the timeline we gave ourselves and that the date of Oct. 31 is respected," he added.
The French president pointed out "What matters is to stick to the commitment we made and the deadline we set ourselves." He thanked all the negotiators for the work done.
"I want to say thank you to Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator," Macron said.
At talks that have continued non-stop in recent days, negotiators from the European Union and the UK coordinated the text of a 100-page additional protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as a 25-page political declaration that will be attached to the 500-page Brexit deal approved back in December 2018.
The UK was supposed to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, two years after a written withdrawal notice was submitted to the EU. However, the UK House of Commons thrice rejected the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May’s government and Brussels.
As a result, the EU first agreed to postpone Brexit until April-May and then granted another extension until October 31. Failing to achieve the crucial task of her premiership and steer the country of this deadlock, May was forced to resign. Her successor Boris Johnson insisted that the UK would not request a new extension and would leave the EU on October 31 "no ifs or buts."