Speaking at the Council on Thursday afternoon, the spokesman told this website, “There may be debate but, at the very least, a vote on the agreement sometime next week during the Strasbourg plenary.”
Under the Lisbon treaty, MEPs have the right to give the final yes or no to the deal thrashed out on Thursday by the EU and the UK.
However, it is doubtful whether Westminster MPs will back the draft hailed as “excellent” by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
RELATED CONTENT
On Thursday, the European Parliament’s President David Sassoli also welcomed the agreement, which comes over three years after the EU Referendum in Britain.
The Italian MEP, speaking in Brussels, said, “we have all worked for an orderly Brexit. Now we need to see the legal text and the pronouncement (on Saturday) of Westminister."
He added, “The European Parliament is ready to do its part and its duty to finalise the process.”
“We have all worked for an orderly Brexit. Now we need to see the legal text and the pronouncement (on Saturday) of Westminister" David Sassoli
Meanwhile, more MEPs have given their reaction to the deal to this website.
They include Liberal deputy Chris Davies, who told this site that he does not think it will get through on Saturday “without a confirmatory referendum” being agreed first.
Davies said, “The deal is worse for the British economy than the Theresa May deal. It moves labour and environmental standards from the legally-binding agreement to the non-binding political declaration. It creates a customs barrier down the Irish Sea. And it does nothing to address the fundamental issue that the UK will end up having to apply EU laws that it played no part in making.”
“I don't see where a majority for this will come from in the House of Commons, unless a ridiculous number of MPs are prepared to pretend that the deal is something it is not in order to put an end to the whole process.”
“I don't see where a majority for this will come from in the House of Commons, unless a ridiculous number of MPs are prepared to pretend that the deal is something it is not in order to put an end to the whole process” Chris Davies MEP
Another senior UK deputy was also scathing. Socialist member Richard Corbett told this site, "Boris Johnson's botched Brexit deal would surrender the rights, protections, freedoms and futures of the British people for generations - the public must have the final say.”
"By ultimately taking us, not just out of the EU, but also out of the single market and customs union, this Brexit deal is bad for Britain and bad for Europe."
"This is a job-destroying, rights-threatening Brexit that damages our industry, agriculture, services sector, research and universities. It ends the rights of Britons to travel, work and live throughout the European Union. It risks the break-up of the UK."
“Boris Johnson's botched Brexit deal would surrender the rights, protections, freedoms and futures of the British people for generations - the public must have the final say” Richard Corbett MEP
"With this deal, Britain will impose sanctions on itself. Fewer jobs, fewer rights, fewer opportunities. A smaller economy. More red tape. Less money for the NHS. This sell-out deal bears no resemblance to what was promised in the 2016 referendum."
He added, "Every opposition party in the House of Commons will vote against this deal.”