Luxembourg, 13/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - In an interview with the German newspaper Bild on Monday 13 June, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, warned British voters that renegotiating the relationship between the EU and the UK could take up to 7 years if the British vote to leave on 23 June.
According to article 50 of the Treaty of the EU, any EU country wishing to leave must notify the European Council of its intention. The Council must then propose orientations for the conclusion of an agreement on the details for the withdrawal of that country. This agreement is concluded on behalf of the EU by the Council, voting by qualified majority, having obtained the approval of the European Parliament.
The treaties of the EU cease to apply to that country from the date on which the agreement enters into force or, in default of an agreement, within two years of the notification of withdrawal. The Council may also decide to extend this period. As regards the British negotiation, President Tusk warned that the negotiations could take five years more than the theoretical two years and, “I fear, with no guarantee of success”, he said.
The negotiation of a withdrawal agreement covers aspects such as customs tariffs on British goods or the freedom of movement. Simply dissolving the various contracts linking the United Kingdom to Europe would be “sad, but simple by comparison”. But then “each of the remaining 27 member states plus the European Parliament will have to approve the final outcome (new relations between the United Kingdom and the EU). This could take at least five years and, I fear, with no guarantee of success each time”, Tusk said.
On Friday 10 June, the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, said that the United Kingdom would no longer be able to have access to the European single market if it leaves. “In is in, out is out”, the German finance minister warned in an interview with the magazine Der Spiegel. This was in response to a question regarding the possibility for London to benefit from a similar status to that of Norway or Switzerland, which have access to the European zone of free movement of persons and goods. “No”, because for that “you have to do stick to the rules of the club it wants to leave”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)