Despite pockets of opposition, all is set for British Prime Minister, Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, to begin the formal negotiations on terms of the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union next week- Wednesday, March 29.
On that date, Ms. May will write to the EU to formally announce the take-off of the process, her spokesman confirmed on Monday.
Britain’s exit is coming on the 60th anniversary of the union, amidst fear that other states may follow suit, even as EU President, Jean-Claude Junker believes instead that “they will all see from the UK’s example that leaving the EU is a bad idea.”
On the contrary, he stressed that “the remaining member states will fall in love with each other again and renew their vows with the European Union.”
“Half memberships and cherry-picking aren’t possible. In Europe, you eat what’s on the table or you don’t sit at the table,” he was quoted as telling a German newspaper.
This is just as Donald Tusk, President of the European Council said ast week, that the EU would not be “intimidated” by threats from the Britain saying it would prefer to walk away from Brexit talks should the negotiations not go its way.
Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which has never been triggered, sets out how an EU country might voluntarily leave the union states that: “Any member state may decide to withdraw from the union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.”
According to irishtimes.com, the Prime Minister was cleared to take the step when the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act gained royal assent last week, after a Supreme Court ruling forced her to seek the approval of both Houses of Parliament.
Ms May will address MPs in a statement to the House of Commons following her regular weekly session of prime minister’s questions on March 29th.
Mr Tusk has previously said he expects to release an initial response to the article 50 notification within 48 hours, and an extraordinary summit of the remaining 27 EU member states is due to be called within four to six weeks.
That summit will draw up a mandate for the European Commission’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, probably allowing talks to begin in earnest in May.
Sir Michael Fallon, UK Defence Secretary, has reportedly been speaking to several EU countries about building military links, including the deployment of British troops to Estonia as part of a NATO plan to deter Russian aggression in the Baltics.
The troops are due to be stationed in the country in one of the biggest deployments to Eastern Europe since the Cold War.
The Royal Navy’s latest helicopter, the Wildcat, will also be deployed from a German frigate and take part in operations in the Mediterranean next year.