DOCSLIB.ORG

The European Parliament : a Giant with Feet of Clay?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The European Parliament : a Giant with Feet of Clay? The European Parliament : a giant with feet of clay? Citation for published version (APA): Dobbels, M. J. (2013). The European Parliament : a giant with feet of clay?. Maastricht University. https://doi.org/10.26481/dis.20131204md Document status and date: Published: 01/01/2013 DOI: 10.26481/dis.20131204md Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: www.umlib.nl/taverne-license Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [email protected] providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 24 Sep. 2021 The European Parliament A giant with feet of clay? Copyright Mathias Dobbels, Maastricht 2013 Omslagontwerp Iris Maertens The European Parliament A giant with feet of clay? PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit Maastricht, op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, Prof. dr. L. L. G. Soete volgens het besluit van het College van Decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op woensdag 4 december 2013 om 12.00 uur door MATHIAS DOBBELS Promotores Prof. dr. T. Christiansen Prof. dr. C. Neuhold Beoordelingscommissie Prof. dr. S. Vanhoonacker (voorzitter) Prof. dr. T. Blom Dr. R. Corbett Prof. dr. B. Rittberger (Lüdwig-Maximilians-Universität München) Prof. dr. M. Shackleton Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank the three people that were key in this project: Sophie Vanhoonacker for getting me on board, advising me throughout the years and giving crucial feedback in the final stages; Christine Neuhold for the many hours she spent reading and re-reading my writings and the ever useful feedback and ideas that followed; and Thomas Christiansen for his admirable capacity to always ask the right questions, spot the weaknesses and steer me into the right direction. Without the perfect balance of guidance and freedom that Thomas, Christine and Sophie gave, this thesis would not exist. Second, I would like to thank the Marie Curie Initial Training Network on Inter- institutional Cooperation in the EU (INCOOP) for providing the excellent circumstances under which I could write this thesis. A very special thank you goes out to Michael Shackleton, who spent many hours on the train and elsewhere reading draft chapters of this piece. The advice and insights drawn from his experience and expertise were an invaluable source of inspiration. Thanks to INCOOP I did not just have two, but a whole range of excellent supervisors who commented on parts of this thesis. Julie Smith, Berthold Rittberger, Michael Smith and Renaud Dehousse all provided useful ideas and feedback for which I thank them. Third, I would like to thank a number of people whose support and help were important in this process. Peter Van Kemseke for commenting on my draft proposal in the very early stages of this project and for putting up with my whining on academia. Didier Seeuws for being an excellent and inspirational boss during my time at the Permrep. Herman Claeys, László Kristóffy and Bart Staes for their unvarnished insights and contacts in the case study on Novel Foods. Peter Van Eetvelde for initiating me into the wonderful world of Word-layout and formatting. Iris Maertens for drawing the most original cover for the thesis’ book version. Anne-Claire Marangoni and Marie De Somer for being my ‘compagnons de route’. And finally, last but never least, Milica Petrovic for being the center when I spin away. All errors that remain in this thesis are, as ever, the responsibility of the author alone. 5 List of abbreviations Committees of the European Parliament mentioned in this thesis AFCO Constitutional Affairs AFET External Relations AGRI Agriculture and Rural Development BUDG Budgets CONT Budgetary Control CULT Culture and Education DEVE Development ECON Economic and Monetary Affairs EMPL Employment and Social Affairs ENVI Environment Public Health and Food Safety FEMM Women’s Rights and Gender Equality IMCO Internal Market and Consumer Protection INTA International Trade ITRE Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy JURI Legal Affairs LIBE Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs PECH Fisheries PETI Petitions REGI Regional Development TRAN Transport and Tourism Political groups in the European Parliament in alphabetical order ALDE Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe ECR European Conservatives and Reformists EFD European Freedom and Democracy EPP European People’s Party Greens/EFA Greens/European Free Alliance GUE/NGL European United Left/Nordic Green Left S&D Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Other abbreviations ACP African Caribbean and Pacific BEUC Bureau européen des unions de Consommateurs BNP British National Party CESAGEN Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics 6 CIAA International Commission for Food Industries Copa-Cogeca European Farmers Organisation Coreper Committee of Permanent Representatives DG EXPOL Directorate General for external policies DG IPOL Directorate General for internal policies DG Directorate General ECSC European Coal and Steel and Community ECU European Currency Unit EEA European Environmental Agency EEAS European External Action Service EFSA European Food Safety Authority EGEST European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies EIPA European Institute of Public Administration ENA Ecole nationale d’administration EP European Parliament EPSO European Personnel Selection Office EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations GATT the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GM genetically modified GMO genetically modified organism IFOAM International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IGC intergovernmental conference IoN Institute on Nanotechnology IT Information Technology LSE London School of Economics MEP Member of European Parliament MFF multi-annual financial framework NGO non governmental organisation SCENIHR Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks SCFCAH Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health SPD Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures STOA Science and Technology Options Assessment unit TBT Technical Barriers to Trade TFEU Treaty on Functioning of the European Union UKIP UK Independence Party US United States WHO World Health Organisation WTO World Trade Organisation 7 Contents Chapter 1 Introduction 15 1.1 Topic and research question 15 1.2 Thesis structure 18 Chapter 2 Powers and Capabilities: The European Parliament in its academic and historical context 21 2.1 The European Parliament : evolution of powers and role 22 2.1.1 Ever evolving formal powers 22 2.1.2 Informally gaining power 24 2.2. “Swiss cheese”: an analysis of the relevant academic literature on the European Parliament’s powers and the gaps therein 27 2.3 A fundamental capability for legislatures to exercise powers: administrative organization 30 2.3.1 Administrative organisation of legislatures – an American perspective 31 2.4 Literature on the administrative capabilities of the European Parliament 35 2.3.1 The European Parliament’s administrative system: who, what and how many? 35 2.3.2 Tasks and roles 37 2.5 Concluding remarks 39 Chapter 3 Measuring the capability to exercise powers: an analytical framework tailored for inter-institutional negotiations 41 3.1 Central research question 42 3.2 March and Olsen’s capabilities: a conceptual framework to assess the ability to exercise powers 43 3.2.1 Capability factor 1: Rights and Authorities 44 3.2.2 Capability factor 2: Resources 45 3.2.3 Capability factor 3: Expertise 47 3.2.4 Capability factor 4: Organising Capacity 48 3.2.5 Interconnectedness and interaction between capabilities 50 3.3 Methodology and operationalization: assessing the four capabilities 52 3.3.1 How to assess influence on outcomes comprehensively: process tracing as the catch-all method 52 3.3.2 How to assess the capabilities of the EP: concrete operationalization of the four capabilities 57 9 3.4 Case studies 62 3.4.1 Justification of cases 62 3.4.2 Background on cases 64 3.4.3 Concluding remarks 70 Chapter 4 The Baseline:
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Onderzoek Stemgedrag
    Colofon Auteur: Iris van Hulsenbeek Begeleider: Anna Domingo Amsterdam, april 2011 Instituut voor Publiek en Politiek (onderdeel van het Huis voor democratie en rechtsstaat) Prinsengracht 915 1017 KD Amsterdam 020-521 76 00 [email protected] www.publiek-politiek.nl 2 Inleiding 3 H.1. Werking van het Europees Parlement 5 H.2. Partijcohesie 8 H.3. Convergentie tussen de partijen 13 H.4. Beleidsonderwerpen 17 Conclusie 22 Bijlage 1 24 Bronvermelding 25 3 Inleiding Het eerste jaar van de zevende zitting van het Europees Parlement is afgerond. Een mooi moment om terug te blikken en conclusies te trekken. In juni 2009 vonden de verkiezingen voor het Europees Parlement plaats en werden 25 Nederlandse Europarlementariërs gekozen om de komende vijf jaar plaats te nemen in het Parlement. Het Instituut voor Publiek en Politiek (IPP)1 beschikt over data van de hoofdelijke stemmingen van de Nederlandse parlementsleden en hierdoor ligt de mogelijkheid vrij om deze gegevens te analyseren. Door deze informatie te interpreteren kan er onderzoek gedaan worden naar het stemgedrag van de Nederlandse parlementariërs. In 2009 is namens het IPP al onderzoek gedaan naar het stemgedrag van de Nederlandse Europarlementariërs in de periode oktober 2007 tot en met september 2008. Belangrijke conclusies van dat onderzoek waren: • Het stemgedrag van Europarlementariërs is vooral te verklaren vanuit een links/rechts ideologie en niet vanuit nationale belangen. In slechts 9,5% van de gevallen stemmen alle Nederlandse Europarlementariërs hetzelfde. • Het gemeenschappelijk stemgedrag binnen de delegaties ligt veel hoger. De cohesie binnen de verschillende politieke partijen ligt tussen de 0,94 en 0,99, waarbij 1 maximale cohesie is.
    [Show full text]
  • INFLUENCERS on BREXIT Who Is Most Influential on Brexit?
    INFLUENCERS ON BREXIT Who is most influential on Brexit? 1= 1= 3 4 5 Theresa MAY Angela MERKEL Nicola STURGEON Michel BARNIER Donald TUSK Chief Negotiator for the Prime Minister Federal Chancellor First Minister Commission Taskforce on Brexit President Negotiations UK Government German Government Scottish Government European Commission European Council 6 7 8 9 10 François HOLLANDE Philip HAMMOND David DAVIS Jean-Claude JUNCKER Guy VERHOFSTADT Secretary of State for Exiting the President Chancellor of the Exchequer President MEP & Lead rapporteur on Brexit European Union French Government UK Government UK Government European Commission European Parliament 11 12 13 14 15 Didier SEEUWS Enda KENNY Hilary BENN Mark RUTTE Martin SELMAYR Head of the General Secretariat of Chair, Committee on Exiting the Head of Cabinet of the President the Council Special Taskforce on Taoiseach European Union & Member of Prime Minister of the European Commission the UK Parliament, Labour Council of the EU Irish Government UK Parliament Dutch Government European Commission 16 17 18 19 20 Keir STARMER Donald TRUMP Wolfgang SCHÄUBLE Liam FOX Frans TIMMERMANS Secretary of State for Shadow Brexit Secretary US President-Elect Finance Minister First Vice-President Member of Parliament, Labour International Trade UK Parliament US Goverment German Government UK Government European Commission 21 22 23 24 25 Boris JOHNSON Nigel FARAGE Nick TIMOTHY Uwe CORSEPIUS Paul DACRE Joint Number 10 Special Adviser on Europe to Foreign Secretary MEP, Interim Leader of UKIP Chief-of-Staff,
    [Show full text]
  • Biography of Didier Seeuws
    DIDIER SEEUWS' BIOGRAPHY Didier Seeuws (55) was until February 2021 the Head of the Task Force on the UK of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European union. He was nominated by the Secretary General immediately after the UK Brexit referendum in June 2016. In this capacity, he provided advice to the Secretary General and to the President of the European Council in all matters related to EU-UK relations and was in charge of coordinating the EU Member States' positions and developing the negotiating mandates of the Council and the guidelines of the European Council for negotiations with the United Kingdom. During the Art. 50 negotiations, he chaired the ad hoc Working Party on Article 50 and, between 1 February 2020 and 31 December 2020, the Working Party on the United Kingdom. Between December 2014 and June 2016, he was the director for Transport, Telecom and Energy at the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU. In this position, he advised the EU rotating presidency mainly on legislative files related to transport, telecom and energy and provided policy advice to the President of the European Council on these matters, in particular with respect to energy files. Before becoming a EU civil servant, Didier Seeuws was a Belgian career diplomat, posted in Washington and with the EU Institutions. He did a number of ministerial cabinets and was Spokesperson of the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Belgian Prime Minister. In his postings with the EU, he was the Belgian Deputy Permanent Representative, dealing with a wide number of files related to the EU Single Market, and was the chair of COREPER I during the Belgian Council Presidency in July-December 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • De 26 Nederlanders in Het Europees Parlement 2
    De 26 Nederlanders in het Europees Parlement 2 Verklaring symbolen Telefoonnummer Brussel Telefoonnummers in Nederland en andere lidstaten GSM GSM Brussel Informatie in deze brochure is bijgewerkt tot februari 2013 DE 26 NEDERLANDERS IN HET EUROPEES PARLEMENT 3 Inhoudsopgave Biografieën 4 Contactgegevens Europarlementariërs 17 Voorlichters 21 Parlementaire commissies 23 Hoe werkt het Europees Parlement? 25 Zetelverdeling 26 Bezoeken 27 Adressen 28 Vergaderdata 29 DE 26 NEDERLANDERS IN HET EUROPEES PARLEMENT 4 In dit boekje vindt u de namen en contactgegevens van de 26 Nederlandse leden van het Europees Parlement. De Europarlementariërs van het CDA maken deel uit CDA van de fractie van de Europese Volkspartij (Christen- Democraten) (EVP) Wim van de Camp (delegatieleider) Geboren 27-07-1953 te Oss. Hogere Landbouwschool voor Tropische Landbouw en studie Rechten aan de Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen. Juridisch beleidsmedewerker bij de VNG (1982-1986). Lid van de Tweede Kamer (1986 -2009). Lid van het EP sinds 2009. Lid van de Commissie burgerlijke vrijheden, justitie en binnenlandse zaken. Plv. lid van de Commissie interne markt en consumentenbescherming. Plv. lid van de Bijzondere Commissie georganiseerde misdaad, corruptie en witwassen. Plv. lid van de Subcommissie mensenrechten. Lid van de delegatie voor de betrekkingen met de Volksrepubliek China. Plv. lid van de delegatie voor de betrekkingen met Albanië, Bosnië-Herzegovina, Servië, Montenegro en Kosovo. Esther de Lange Geboren 19-02-1975 te Spaubeek. Studie Hogere Europese Beroepsopleiding en Internationale Betrekkingen. Projectmedewerker FEANTSA (Europese federatie van dak- en thuislozenorganisaties) (1997). Medewerker Europese zaken twee Duitse brancheverenigingen (1998-1999). Beleidsmedewerker Europarlementariër (1999-2007). Voorzitter werkveldcommissie Hogere Europese Beroepen Opleiding, Hogeschool Zuyd, Maastricht (sinds 2003).
    [Show full text]
  • List of Meps (Provisional)
    List of MEPs Germany: CDU/CSU (EPP): Ingeborg Grässle (sort.), Monika Hohlmeier, Elisabeth Jeggle (sort.), Christa Klass (sort.), Angelika Niebler (sort.), Doris Pack (sort.), Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (sort.), Brigit Schnieber-Jastram, Renate Sommer (sort.), Sabine Verheyen, Anja Weisgerber (sort.), SPD (PASD) : Evelyne Gebhardt (sort.), Jutta Haug (sort.), Petra Kammerevert, Constanze Krehl (sort.), Dagmar Reichenbach (sort.), Ulrike Rodust (sort.), Birgit Sippel, Jutta Steinruck, Barbara Weiler (sort.), Kerstin Westphal, FDP (ALDE) : Nadja Hirsch, Silvana Koch-Mehrin (sort.), Gesine Meissner, Britta Reimers, Alexandra Thein Grünen (greens): Franziska Katharina Brantner, Rebecca Harms (sort.), Franziska Maria Keller, Barbara Elisabeth Lochbihler, Heidemarie-Rose Rühle (sort.), Elisabeth Schroedter (sort.), Helga Trüpel (sort.) Die Linke (GUE) : Cornelia Ernst, Sabine Lösing, Sabine Wils, Gabriele Zimmer (sort.) Austria: ÖVP (EEP): Elisabeth Köstinger, Hella Ranner, SPÖ (PASD): Karin Kadenbach, Evelyn Regner Grüne (Greens): Evelin Lichtenberger (sort.), Ulrike Lunacek, Liste Hans-Peter Martin (NI) : Angelika Werthmann Belgium: CDH (EPP) : Anne Delvaux CD&V (EPP) : Marianne Thyssen (sort.) PS (PASD) : Véronique de Keyser (sort.) SP.A (PASD) : Kathleen Van Brempt MR (ALDE): Frédérique Ries (sort.) ECOLO -greens : Isabelle Durant VLD (ALDE) : Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck (sort.) N-VA (Greens) : Frieda Brepoels Bulgaria: GERB (EPP) : Iliana Ivanova, Rumyana Jeleva (sort.), Maria Nedeltcheva, Blue coalition (EPP) : Nadejda Mihaïlova BSP (PASD)
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit Round Up
    This report will collate all key activity from the last week in Westminster, Whitehall, the European Commission, European Parliament and leading stakeholders as it relates to the energy sector and Brexit. TABLE OF CONTENT EU: Brexit task force takes shape EU: Junker makes State of the Union speech EU: EP President says “no negotiation without notification” UK: Chairman of Global Warming Policy Foundation gives evidence to peers UK: Written answer on impact of Brexit on renewables sector UK: Opportunities for UK energy market raised in House of Commons UK: Chancellor holds round table with business UK: Scottish Government hold summit with energy sector UK: Government response to report on EU/UK environmental policy UK: MP blog on impact of Brexit on the environment UK: Speech: UK-India partnership is strong in the energy sector UK: International Trade secretary speech in Dubai EU: Brexit’s impact on EU budget EU: Leaders reflect on future of union EU: Central European countries threaten to veto Brexit deal Lookahead – September/October October Members Area by using: EU: Brexit task force takes shape On September 14, the European Commission confirmed its decision to set up a Task Force for the preparation and conduct of the Brexit negotiations under Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union. Former French Commissioner Michel Barnier, appointed as the Commission’s Chief Negotiator on Brexit in July, will lead this Task Force which will be responsible for coordinating all strategic, operational, legal and financial issues related to the negotiations. In setting up the Task Force, the Commission also appointed Sabine Weyand, currently Deputy Director-General in the Commission's Trade Department (DG Trade), as Deputy Chief Negotiator.
    [Show full text]
  • CER Bulletin Issue 129 | December 2019/January 2020
    CER Bulletin Issue 129 | December 2019/January 2020 How should the EU ‘get Brexit done’? By Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska How economically damaging will Brexit be? By John Springford Defence without direction By Sophia Besch How should the EU ‘get Brexit done’? by Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska The EU and the UK might have only 11 months to conclude negotiations on their future partnership. The EU would find it easier to achieve its objectives if its negotiating structures were similar to those for the Article 50 talks. ‘Get Brexit done’ is the mantra of Boris Johnson’s The legal basis for the next phase of election campaign. If he secures a parliamentary negotiations will be Articles 207 and 218 of the majority in the December election, the UK will Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), probably leave the EU by January 31st – the which set out the procedures for opening, Brexit deadline set by European leaders. But conducting and finalising negotiations with contrary to Johnson’s claims, leaving the EU third countries. As a first step, the European will not be the end of the Brexit story. The UK Commission will formally recommend that the will have to reach agreement with the EU on Council authorises the opening of talks with the their future relationship, or face another cliff- UK and signs off the EU negotiator’s mandate. edge when the transition period comes to an end on December 31st 2020. According to the The Commission president, Ursula von der withdrawal agreement, that is the deadline, Leyen, has decided to keep Michel Barnier as unless the EU and the UK agree by July 2020 to the EU’s chief negotiator for the second phase extend it (for up to one or two years).
    [Show full text]
  • Wnsdecisionpoint.Com 1 BREXIT OVERALL COMMENTARY
    Brexit Overall Commentary BREXIT OVERALL COMMENTARY Table of Contents Politics and Brexit: The Road Ahead for U.K. - EU 01 Negotiations How did the U.K. Vote? 02 Timeline of Main Steps Taken in the EU and U.K. Post-referendum, 03 2016 and Early 2017 Government after the Referendum 04 Article 50: What does it Mean? 04 Possible Content of a Withdrawal Agreement 05 The Great Repeal Bill: Why is it Important? 06 Possible Future Framework of the U.K. - EU Relationship 07 . Scenario I: Full EU Membership An Extremely Soft Brexit 08 . Scenario II: Full Internal Market Participation, European Economic Area 08 (EEA) and Norway Model Moderately Soft Brexit . Scenario III: Limited Movement of Services, Switzerland Model Basic 08 Soft Brexit . Scenario IV: Free Trade Agreement, Canada Model Basic Hard Brexit 08 . Scenario V: Membership of the Customs Union Moderately Hard 08 Brexit . Scenario VI: No Deal with EU An Extremely Hard Brexit 08 What does the June 2017 Election Mean For Brexit? 09 Brexit Timeline: Events from March 29, 2017 Till April 2019 11 BREXIT OVERALL COMMENTARY POLITICS AND BREXIT: THE ROAD AHEAD FOR U.K. - EU NEGOTIATIONS The referendum held on June 23, 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent. The 2016 to decide the U.K.'s referendum turnout was 71.8 membership of the European Union percent, with more than 30 million (EU) saw the Leave vote win by people voting.1 1. Article by BBC, Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU, June 2017. wnsdecisionpoint.com 1 BREXIT OVERALL COMMENTARY Wales voted for Brexit, with Leave Remain by 62 percent to 38 HOW DID THE U.K.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Road to Brexit
    On the Road to Brexit Phinnemore, D. (2016). On the Road to Brexit. Political Insight, 7(3), 8-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041905816680412 Published in: Political Insight Document Version: Peer reviewed version Queen's University Belfast - Research Portal: Link to publication record in Queen's University Belfast Research Portal Publisher rights © 2016 The Authors. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Queen's University Belfast Research Portal is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The Research Portal is Queen's institutional repository that provides access to Queen's research output. Every effort has been made to ensure that content in the Research Portal does not infringe any person's rights, or applicable UK laws. If you discover content in the Research Portal that you believe breaches copyright or violates any law, please contact [email protected]. Download date:24. Sep. 2021 On the road to Brexit David Phinnemore, Professor of European Politics, Queen’s University Belfast The United Kingdom (UK) has never been at ease with either its membership of the European Union (EU) or the broader idea of European integration. The EU referendum on 23 June 2016 was supposed to settle the issue. It is unclear when and how it will. For the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, the plan was for the referendum to bring closure on the question of whether the UK should remain in or leave the EU.
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit: the Timeline
    Global - Europe Practice Alert July 2016 Brexit: The Timeline This note addresses the timeline for the UK's exit from the EU. It is one of a series of GTM Alerts designed to assist businesses in identifying the legal issues to consider and address in response to the UK's referendum vote of 23 June 2016 to withdraw from the European Union. The UK has not left the EU. It will remain a member of the EU, and EU law will continue to apply in its territory, until it formally exits. Exit is likely to take some time. Nearly two weeks after the UK referendum vote, a number of practical, political, and legal issues are emerging that may affect the start and timing of the procedure leading up to exit. This exit procedure is set out in Article 50 of one of the two main EU Treaties, the Treaty on European Union. It involves three main steps before exit – notification, negotiation, and approval. These steps are illustrated in a notional timeline at the end of this note and are described in more detail below, together with the issues that may affect the UK's exit date. 1. Notification: Under Article 50, the UK is required to notify the European Council of its decision to withdraw from the EU, but there is no deadline for the notification. • Referendum vote is not a decision: The outcome of the 23 June referendum does not constitute a decision to leave the EU, as it is not binding – its purpose is to advise government of the will of the British people.
    [Show full text]
  • The UK Gave Formal Notice of Its Intention to Leave the EU on 29 March 2017, Setting 29 March 2019 As the Possible Date of Exit
    A timeline of Brexit negotiations and associated actions March 2017 The UK gave formal notice of its intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017, setting 29 March 2019 as the possible date of exit. Negotiations on the form of Brexit between the UK and EU will be framed and conducted according to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The UK Government has assured the UK Parliament that it will This publication provides a visual overview of the key steps, be provided with “at least as much” information as the European people and institutions that will be involved in the UK’s process Parliament and will have a “take it or leave it” vote on the final of withdrawal from the EU. This process will involve different draft of the withdrawal agreement before it is concluded. contributors and stakeholders at a UK and EU level, but will also The European Parliament will closely follow the negotiations impact third countries. The process will include negotiations as and provide consent for the withdrawal agreement before it to some or all of: is concluded. > the UK’s withdrawal arrangement with the EU At the same time as negotiating the UK’s withdrawal, both the > the future EU-UK relationship EU and UK will also be thinking about their trading positions with > transitional arrangements third countries with whom the EU has existing agreements. > trade relationships of both the UK and the EU with third countries. The UK will also be considering trade arrangements with other third countries and will be facing the task of ensuring that the existing EU laws are adapted and adopted into UK law on exit day via the Great Repeal Bill.
    [Show full text]
  • L'heure Du Choix
    Quatre mois après le référendum : l’heure du choix Brexit Insight n°2 – Novembre 2016 Quatre mois après le vote en faveur de la sortie du Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne, les responsables politiques sentent confusément qu’il ne leur est plus possible d’éluder le choix de ceux qui se sont exprimés. Peuvent-ils encore gagner du temps ? Un éventuel vote du Parlement Britannique à la suite de la décision de la Haute Cour de Londres le 3 novembre dernier peut-il changer la donne ? L’état de faiblesse et d’incertitude dans lequel le référendum du 23 juin a laissé l’Europe nous démontre qu’il est vain d’espérer maintenir longtemps un équilibre précaire, en fait déjà rompu. L’élection de Donald Trump à la Présidence des Etats-Unis d’Amérique accentue encore l’instabilité de la période historique que nous traversons. L’heure des premiers choix structurants est venue pour tous les protagonistes : le dimanche 2 octobre, Theresa May, Première ministre britannique, a mis fin, à Birmingham, à 3 mois de silence et les institutions européennes commencent à échafauder différents scénarios. Quelles sont les options ouvertes aux protagonistes à la veille de l’ouverture des négociations relatives à la sortie du Royaume-Uni et à ses futures relations avec l’Union européenne ? Cette note complète celle publiée par le Cabinet SAMMAN au lendemain du vote en faveur de la sortie du Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne (« Brexit, le jour d’après ») et propose (1) une analyse des premières orientations prises par le Royaume-Uni (RU), (2) un état des lieux des principaux obstacles et options existants pour chacune des parties, notamment les trois institutions européennes et (3) un scénario prospectif des choix des acteurs dans les secteurs de la finance et du numérique au niveau européen, dans le cadre du changement de paradigme « Etat tiers ».
    [Show full text]