The negotiators in chief of the European Commission, Michel Barnier, and of the Council, Didier Seeuws, on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, this week attended meetings with the 'sherpas' of the 27 other member states to prepare the negotiation framework for the EU once the British government triggers Article 50 of the Treaty of the EU with regard to Brexit.
The fact that these meetings have taken place was confirmed by the Commission and the Polish secretary of state for European Affairs, Konrad Szymanski. The aim of the talks was to prepare the general negotiation framework and the cooperation terms for the European institutions, the Pole explained. Stressing the satisfaction of his country, the minister even said that the Europeans were close to an agreement on the framework mandate.
A Council source, however, denied that such an agreement was close at hand, explaining that no agreement could be reached before London has formally triggered Article 50. It is not possible to draw up a mandate until we know what the UK is asking for, the source added.
According to Szymanski, this future mandate of the EU27 will in any event lay emphasis on the need for proportionality, in other words a balance between the rights and obligations of the UK. For us, this concerns the single market above all, said the secretary of state. The talks will be beneficial if we succeed in preserving the unity of the EU27 and the European Council retains a key role in and political supervision of the negotiations, Szymanski went on to explain.
From the Commission's point of view, these meetings should aim to gather viewpoints and sensitivities in the member states, a spokesperson for the institution explained. Barnier and the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, have already started this work with the capitals and leaders, as has the European Parliament, which has also been listened to attentively.
The British prime minister, Theresa May, announced in early October that she would trigger the process by the end of March 2017, but a number of obstacles have emerged, in particular a ruling of the High Court of London requiring the British Parliament to play a part in proceedings (see EUROPE 11660). The government has appealed against the decision and this will be heard in the first week of December.
In London on Wednesday, the president of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, told a conference organised by the bank UBS that the talks on Brexit may take more than two years if London does not come up with a substantial negotiation plan quickly. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic and Jan Kordys)