EU Mulls No-Deal Brexit Crisis Summit in November

Leaders could discuss contingency planning if talks fail
Talks continuing Sunday as May faces opposition over Brexit

People sit outside the 'Old Hack Pub' in front of the European Commission Berlaymont building as European Union (EU) flags fly in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, June 8, 2018. Chief negotiator for the European Union Michael Barnier rejected the key elements of U.K. prime minister Theresa May’s plan to overcome one of the thorniest divorce questions, but said talks continue.Photographer: Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg

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By Ian Wishart

October 14, 2018 at 11:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

European Union leaders are considering holding a crisis summit in November to draw up contingency plans in case the U.K. crashes out of the bloc without a deal, EU diplomats said.

If a meeting of EU chiefs in Brussels this week fails to make “decisive progress,” the bloc could switch to Brexit no-deal mode and turn a gathering penciled in for Nov. 17-18 into a highly visible discussion about the fallout of a messy U.K. withdrawal, the diplomats said. While that wouldn’t shut off the possibility of an agreement emerging, the move would be aimed at sending the U.K. a stark warning that time is running out.