Europe has breathed a collective sight of relief after EU officials announced that serious discussion of Brexit would be banned at an upcoming leaders’ summit.

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting in the Romanian city of Sibiu, one senior EU official said the summit would be “in principle Brexit-free”.

For two years now the UK has repeatedly crashed EU meetings about other issues and steered discussions towards Brexit – often to the great annoyance of other countries.

But since April, when the leaders agreed to delay the UK’s departure until October, the continent has gone on a “Brexit holiday” and is using the time to discuss other issues.

Theresa May is staying away from the Sibiu meeting, though the UK is expected to be represented in the margins.



The summit is intended to be a relaunch of the EU after a series of crises like Brexit, migration, and economic problems in the eurozone. Its date was originally picked so that it would take place after Britain’s departure, a plan which has since been overtaken by events.



Speaking at a lunchtime press conference in Brussels, Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, summed up the view in the EU capital with a quip.

“Everyone understands English,” he said, as he switched languages from French. “No one understands England – but everyone understands English.”

He struck an ambivalent tone on Brexit, telling reporters: “I don’t have fears, I don’t have hopes [for Brexit].

Theresa May will not be attending the meeting (Reuters) (REUTERS)

“I was saying the other day that by comparison to the British parliament the Egyptian sphinx[es] are open books. Either they stay or they will leave. If they stay, they stay. If they leave, they leave.”

The continent’s respite could be short, however, with Brexit set to return, at least briefly, at a meeting in Brussels in June. The issue will certainly return in earnest in October – unless the UK has already left by then.

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(AP Photo/ Kirsty Wigglesworth) Kirsty Wigglesworth AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit protester holds a sign next to a statue of Winston Churchill at the March to Leave demonstration in London, Britain March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit demonstrators in Parliament Square in Westminster, London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday March 29, 2019. See PA story POLITICS Brexit. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Jonathan Brady PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit protesters hold signs and wave flags at the March to Leave demonstration in London, Britain March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville TOBY MELVILLE Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit epa07471421 Pro-Brexit protesters gather outside of the Parliament for Nigel Farage's 'March to Leave' in London, Britain, 29 March 2019. MPs rejected Prime Minister's May EU withdrawal agreement earlier in the day. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA

Mr Juncker used the opportunity to talk about the EU’s future trade relations with other blocs. He trusted Donald Trump on EU-US trade relations, revealing that “White House people and my teams are in nearly daily contact” on the issue.

The Sibiu summit will be chaired by European Council president Donald Tusk, and is in Romania because the country holds the rotating EU presidency.