Starting Gun Fired as EU Special Council Adopts Brexit Talk Negotiations Targets

EU ministers - minus the UK - in a special General Affairs Council meeting, May 22 - have agreed to adopt the draft negotiating directives on the UK's exit from the European Union and to effectively begin the negotiations over Britain's exit from the EU and a new trade relationship between the EU and the UK.

The General Affairs Council — which meets monthly — coordinates preparations for European Council meetings and is mainly made up of the European affairs ministers from all EU member states — this time without the UK which is barred from such discussions under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Council opens the #Brexit negotiations and adopts the first set of directives for the talks. Find out more: https://t.co/x4ReHCJvKw pic.twitter.com/GnOhSTovcx

— EU Council (@EUCouncil) 22 May 2017

​In effect, the monthly meeting will be an important forum for guiding the talks over Brexit — being as the EU 27 will not have the resources to meet as often to discuss the terms of Brexit — and will inevitably play a huge role in the talks, which are being led by the European Commission's Michel Barmier.

The council has agreed to adopt a decision authorizing the opening of Brexit negotiations with the UK and nominating the Commission as the EU negotiator and the negotiating directives for the Brexit negotiations, which were set out by the commission and have been approved by both the European Council and the Parliament.

Phased Approach

On March 29, 2017, the United Kingdom formally notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the Union and from the European Atomic Energy Community. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union provides that in the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with the State wishing to leave the European Union, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union.

"It is recalled that the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement should be at the latest March 30, 2019, unless the European Council, in agreement with the United Kingdom, unanimously decides to extend this period in accordance with Article 50(3) of the Treaty on European Union," the council recommendation states.

The EU is committed to transparency in #Brexit negotiations. Read more: https://t.co/u8MOmB99R1

— EU Council Press (@EUCouncilPress) 22 May 2017

​"Failing that, on 30 March 2019 at 00:00 (Brussels time), all Union Treaties and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community cease to apply to the United Kingdom," it said. 

Under the terms of those negotiations, the first priority will be to "settle the disentanglement of the United Kingdom from the Union and from all the rights and obligations the United Kingdom derives from commitments undertaken as member state" — effectively costing the 'divorce' ahead of discussions over a new trade agreement between the UK and the EU.