Brussels, 28/06/2016 6 pm (Agence Europe) - The most constructive future relationship possible with the United Kingdom and an in-depth reflection on the state of the European Union following the 'shock' of 23 June. It is with these two major principles in mind that the 28 European leaders will start to talk and agree in Brussels on Tuesday 28 June when their European summit opens.
One thing, however, is certain: the 27 member states will not set the outgoing British Prime Minister, David Cameron, an ultimatum in terms of timetable. Cameron has been invited to take stock over dinner of the situation five days after the vote in favour of Brexit (see EUROPE 11580). However, they will make it clear to him that the uncertainty cannot go on. And they will stress that London will not be able to cherry-pick its divorce terms, as the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, put it in Berlin on Wednesday morning. “Anyone who leaves the family cannot expect that all of its obligations will disappear and that its privileges will be maintained”, she said.
At the European Parliament, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he had forbidden the European commissioners to start negotiations with the British. “No notification, no negotiation!” he stated (see other article).
On his arrival in Brussels, Cameron confirmed that the United Kingdom “will leave the EU” and that he will ensure that the future relationship between his country and the EU is “as constructive as possible”. The British Prime Minister, whose resignation will be effective from October, went on to say that the United Kingdom would not turn its back on the EU, as the other 27 member states are “neighbours, friends, allies, partners”. He called for the closest possible relationship in terms of “trade, cooperation and security”.
Informal summit of 27 in September. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said that the EU was “ready, from today, to start the divorce procedure”. “This is not the scenario we were hoping for”, he added, going on to announce that an informal summit of the Twenty-Seven would be held in September, possibly in Bratislava in the framework of the forthcoming Slovakian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
“I feel that it is important that we do not start negotiations until the United Kingdom has requested this. This means that there will be no negotiations, formal or informal, until the United Kingdom has (…) made its request” to leave the EU, Merkel said, adding that she hoped that the UK would continue to be considered “a friend and partner”.
François Hollande, the French Head of State, said upon his arrival that the “procedure for the United Kingdom to leave must be triggered as soon as possible”. “I cannot imagine a British government, on any side of the spectrum, failing to respect the choice of its own people”, he added. He said that they must now “calmly” organise the timetable, “in the interests of the UK, certainly, but most of all, in the interests of Europe”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic with Aminata Niang)