NOW that Britain has voted to leave the European Union, what sort of deal will it get? At a meeting of EU leaders on June 28th, David Cameron spoke of the need for a continued close relationship between Britain and the EU, especially on trade and security.
Opinion in the EU differs on how to treat Britain after the Brexit referendum. Hawks, such as France and Belgium, urge a speedy divorce while doves, such as the Netherlands and Germany, are more patient. But beyond these nuances the club has quickly reached a consensus on two important questions: how to respond to Britain before it formally begins withdrawal, and what sort of trade deal might it offer after the separation is complete.
On the first, Angela Merkel and others insist that there can be no negotiations without notification, a mantra designed to head off British politicians who harbour the hope that they can begin informal talks with the EU before pressing the button of Article 50, the formal procedure to leave the club. The article, inserted into the EU’s Lisbon Treaty in 2009 as its first-ever exit mechanism, is by design a crude tool that stacks the...Continue reading
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