EU to issue response on Brexit within 48 hours after UK triggers it

The Dollar Business Bureau

The European Union (EU) will take only 48 hours in issuing its first plan for the negotiations for Brexit after the UK formally starts its exit, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Wednesday.

Tusk said that the Council, the institution formed with national leaders of the 28-member bloc and charged with defining the EU’s overall priorities, would issue the guidelines for the negotiations to start soon after that.

“When the UK notifies, it is our goal to react with the draft negotiation guidelines for the 27 members to consider, for this I think we need more or less 48 hours,” he told a news conference in Brussels.

“Leaders of the bloc members will meet after that possibly in April to finalise the same,” he added.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May has assured to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty of EU - the notification clause for exit – by March end.

The Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will start a two-year process to Britain’s actual exit from the bloc, during which the UK and the EU must have talks as per the terms of the exit and hope for future trade ties.

The EC President said he is still hoping that it was possible for PM Theresa May to trigger the Article 50 before March end despite the process being debated in the UK’s parliament.

“We, however, are well-prepared for this and our reactions after the formal announcement will be responsible and fast,” he said.

However, formal negotiations are not set to start until for two months even after the notification because the European Commission has to set out more elaborate plans for the talks based on guidelines from the member heads.

Last year, the UK became the first country to exit the Union in a surprising vote in June and the EU members have pressed for speeding up its exit so as to end the uncertainties created by Brexit.