Ahead of a British referendum on EU membership, to be held by the end of 2017, DeHavilland's UK and EU teams are pleased to present a series of briefings exploring the key aspects of the process. This first briefing provides the background to the referendum and introduces the key players in the negotiations in both Westminster and Brussels. Bookmark our online timeline of all the key events in the run-up to the referendum. Introduction campaigning for Britain’s continued membership. The question to be put to the public before the end of 2017, as outlined in the EU Referendum Bill, is: In January 2013 UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced he would be in favour of "Should the United Kingdom remain a holding a referendum on membership of the European Union if he remained in post after member of the European Union?" the 2015 General Election. Since then MPs from his governing Conservative Party have been keen to enshrine Although the EU Referendum Bill stipulates the promise in legislation, and on the 27th the that a vote must take place no later than 31 Government announced that a Bill would be December 2017, no official date has yet been set. introduced to guarantee the pledge. According to the Telegraph, officials in In the run up to the 2015 General Election the Downing Street and the Foreign Office are Conservatives argued that it was the only exploring the possibility of holding the party that could bring meaningful reform to referendum in October 2016. the EU, and claimed in their manifesto that they “would give the public a say over Britain’s membership of the EU and commit to a referendum by the end of 2017.” The Party’s official position Mr Cameron has not laid out his plans for is for the United Kingdom to remain part of a reform in detail, but in a number of speeches reformed EU. and newspaper articles he has broadly defined his negotiating hand. His priorities include: Recently, acting opposition Labour leader Harriet Harman took a nuanced approach of . A general change in the direction of “ever endorsing a referendum while committing to closer union;” campaign for Britain to remain part of the EU. Restricting migrants’ access to benefits; Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola . Parliamentary powers to block EU Sturgeon has proposed a “double majority” legislation; and vote. This would mean that a British exit from . Freeing businesses from EU red tape, and the EU could only occur if all four nations protection for the City of London from agree. Ms Sturgeon’s SNP is also dedicated to EU legislation. © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 Much discussion has focused on the possibility of 'treaty change', an EU constitutional process On the 27th May the Government announced it which would require the consent of all would: Member States, and would likely trigger “renegotiate the United Kingdom’s relationship several other national referenda. While Mr with the European Union and pursue reform of the Cameron's wishlist would likely necessitate European Union for the benefit of all Member this, he has accepted that the actual treaty States. Alongside this, early legislation will be change may come later, and be post-dated. introduced to provide for an in-out referendum on membership of the European Union before the end of 2017.” The Bill sets the scene for a vote guaranteed by the end of 2017. Briefly, the bill is broken down into clauses, the most controversial of which include: . Clause 1: the referendum (the question) . Clause 2: entitlement to vote. Clauses 3 & 4: conduct of the referendum British PM David Cameron (provisions pertaining to holding it on the It has been suggested that, in order to same day as other elections) negotiate from a position of strength, Mr . Clauses 7-11: Miscellaneous (the cost of Cameron will delay detailing his demands for the referendum, campaigning, financing as long as possible. Senior British officials have and donations, campaign broadcasts, and told the Financial Times that “Cameron will not public awareness) make it clear what he wants until very close to the referendum… we have to find out what we are likely to get before we make public what Key Players we want.” With speculation that a referendum could be held as early as October 2016, Mr Cameron will be under pressure to conclude his negotiations early next year. Some media Since his re-election in May 2015 Mr Cameron sources suggest even as early as December has been busy touring European capitals to 2015. persuade his counterparts of the merit of his arguments. The UK’s position may be weakened in the coming months as the possibility of a Greek In the House of Commons, however, it is exit from the Eurozone and the issue of Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond who has migration take priority on the EU’s agenda. been leading the Bill through parliament. It is worth noting that, prior to his role as Foreign Some members of the British Government see Secretary, Philip Hammond suggested that opportunity in a Greek withdrawal though, there were circumstances in which he would with one Cabinet Minister telling the Daily vote to leave the EU. Mail that, following an exit, “the Germans would be that much keener to keep us in.” As Mr Cameron’s strongest political ally and right-hand-man, Chancellor George Osborne © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 has been particularly vocal about services department, so is certainly familiar renegotiating Britain’s position within the EU. with the City of London, and is widely Since the UK general election in May, Mr respected in Brussels. His appointment has Osborne has raised concerns about the already been welcomed by Downing Street. strength of Europe’s financial policymaking. Ivan Rogers and Tom Scholar are responsible for negotiating the technical details of Cameron’s reforms. In September 2013 Ivan Rogers was nominated as Britain’s Permanent Representative to the EU, after previous roles as Cameron’s Europe Adviser and Treasury official. Some eurosceptics have criticised Rogers as being too pro-European after working for Ken Clarke and Leon Brittan. Tom Scholar serves as Cameron’s Europe Jonathan Faull, European Commission Adviser after holding the role of Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury. But while the Commission may formally be in charge, it is Cameron's fellow national leaders who will ultimately need to be persuaded if In Brussels, the European Commission is key the UK is to achieve its goals. Most important to the UK's campaign, as the 'guardian of the of these is undoubtedly Angela Merkel, the treaties', and the only institution that can Germany Chancellor, but the Dutch and propose legislative changes. Cameron has a Danish Prime Ministers Mark Rutte and Lars complicated relationship with Commission Løkke Rasmussen have both been identified President Jean-Claude Juncker, having tried early on as potential allies. to block the appointment of the former Donald Tusk is the man who chairs the Luxembourg PM last year. Juncker is however European Council summits, and so the former keen that the UK remain in the bloc. Polish PM has an important role to play, but it Juncker's right-hand man Frans Timmermans is the Council's chief administrator Jeppe is likely to do more of the leg-work. The Tranholm-Mikkelsen who is expected to do a former Dutch Foreign Minister speaks flawless lot of the work. English, and is in charge of the EU's 'Better Regulation' agenda – a drive to reduce unnecessary regulation and streamline the Owing to the lack of details on Cameron’s legislative process which dovetails nicely with renegotiation proposals it is likely that the YES the reforms Cameron is seeking. and NO campaigns will not be fully formed Meanwhile in June the Commission appointed for some time. Jonathan Faull to lead a new 'Task Force for Labour MP Alan Johnson has been picked to Strategic Issues related to the UK be his party’s spokesperson for staying in the Referendum', reporting directly to Juncker, European, and SNP MP Alex Salmond will be and working closely with Timmermans. While the YES representative for the Scottish the British civil servant may have been an Nationalists. obvious choice, it also shows how seriously Juncker is taking the issue. Faull is currently In the House of Commons, votes over the the top official in the Commission's financial passage of the EU Referendum Bill offer some © DeHavilland Information Services Ltd 2015 insight into the beginnings of the NO committee for the EU referendum” – to campaign. Already, Conservative MP Sir Bill promote cooperation amongst those who Cash put forward an amendment that would might contribute to the OUT campaign.” They have ensured the Government remained include, UKIP MP Douglas Carswell, neutral in the weeks leading up to the vote, Conservative MPs Owen Paterson, Steve preventing it from advocating continued Barker and Bernard Jenkin, and Labour MPs membership of the EU. It was defeated 288 to Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins and Graham 97, with 25 Conservatives voting yes. Stringer. Among the Conservatives voting yes were In June UKIP leader Nigel Farage claimed he former Defence Secretary Liam Fox, possible was prepared to lead the NO campaign, but London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith, there is some concern among eurosceptics that Nadine Dorries, Philip Hollobone, and John he is too divisive a figure to lead a national Redwood. campaign. Furthermore, a loose crossbench coalition of MPs has formed – dubbed the “exploratory Timeline For details of all key dates in the run-up to the referendum, see DeHavilland's timeline, which will be continuously updated as the situation evolves.