Special Coverage

EU Referendum and Article 50

On the 8th of June 2016, the result of a UK general election, which resulted in a major setback for the Conservative party, was held, while, as of the 19th of June 2017, EU officials and UK Government representatives have started to engaged in official negotiations. Britain’s period of legal and political uncertainty and the snap elections envisaged by the UK PM Theresa May added a further layer of unpredictability to the UK process of exit from the EU. While a ‘hard Brexit’ still seems a possible outcome (and risk) of the UK-EU negotiations, the results of the snap election have also reduced the British Conservative government power, as well as its internal cohesion. In addition, the UK is dangerously short of time to conclude a comprehensive agreement, while the two negotiating parties are also defining the possible terms of a “transitional period” before the divorce will be finalised. In addition, the question of the so-called “Irish backstop” has not found a mutually satisfactory agreement. More recently, Labours have also called for a second referendum. Will the EU and Britain be able to find an overall mutually satisfactory deal before the 29th of March 2019? Will there be a “transition period”? Is a so-called “Hard Brexit” possible?

IN FOCUS