Brussels, 29/06/2016 (Agence Europe) – Five days after the victory won by those who wanted the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, the leaders of the 27 other EU member states told outgoing UK Prime Minister David Cameron, in Brussels on Tuesday 28 June, that they respected the result but that it was in the interests of all parties that the UK activate the withdrawal process without excessive delay (see EUROPE 11580). Several also highlighted the total lack of any UK exit plan, something that could prove to be problematic for the whole EU.
Cameron has pledged to activate Article 50 of the treaty (which sets out the process for any state’s withdrawal from the EU), stated European Council President Donald Tusk, following the first day of talks among the European leaders. He said that the UK’s intentions should be stated “as quickly as possible”. He noted, too, that, according to ECB President Mario Draghi, the negative impact of the UK referendum on the economy had been less severe than initially feared.
Speaking to the press, Cameron said that it would be for the incoming prime minister, who is expected to be chosen in the first ten days of September, to trigger the process. It will be up to him or her to determine the best approach to take to activate Article 50 and to try to agree as close a relationship as possible with the EU, he went on to say.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pointed out that, until such time as notification is received, there can be no negotiation. He stressed that UK leaders had to have an EU exit plan. “I can understand up to a point that David Cameron wants time to reflect because he fought for the UK to remain in the EU. What I can’t understand, however, is that those who wanted to leave are unable to tell us what they want. When one wants to leave, one must have a plan. I hope that the notification will arrive as quickly as possible”, he said.
“I believe that what has become clear is just what little planning has been done”, commented Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. “The ‘Remain’ camp made no preparations for an ‘out’ vote. And those who wanted ‘Brexit’ clearly have not the slightest idea either. So now it becomes our problem”, he stated.
“The referendum delivered a disappointing result for us but it has happened”, commented Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, whose country will hand over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on 30 June. He made it clear that the EU would not just fold its arms, sit back and wait for the notification. The meeting of the other 27 leaders on Wednesday will provide an opportunity to assess what has happened and to discuss the future. “There is scepticism in other member states, too. It will be up to us to see how European cooperation can deliver results”, he added.
“The debate was intense. We all expressed our regret over the result of the referendum”, stated German Chancellor Angela Merkel, indicating that the European Council had not discussed the possibility that “the United Kingdom does not give notification”. “The referendum is there. It is reality. We will have the notification from the United Kingdom after a period of time that allows the shape of future relations to be considered. We don’t want a prolonged period of uncertainty”, she made clear. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Sophie Petijean, Pascal Hansens, Camille Cerise Gessant, Aminata Niang and Maëlle Didion)