EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

Europaudvalget 2016-17
EUU Alm.del Bilag 529
Offentligt

10 DOWNING STREET

LONDON SWlA 2AA

THE PRIME MINISTER

29 March 2017

On 23 June last year, the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the

European Union. As I have said before, that decision was no rejection of

the values we share as fellow Europeans. Nor was it an attempt to do harm

to the European Union or any of the remaining member states. On the contrary,

the United Kingdom wants the European Union to succeed and prosper.

Instead, the referendum was a vote to restore, as we see it, our national

self-determination. We are leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving

Europe - and we want to remain committed partners and allies to our friends

across the continent.

Earlier this month, the United Kingdom Parliament confirmed the result of the

referendum by voting with clear and convincing majorities in both of its Houses

for the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The Bill was passed

by Parliament on 13 March and it received Royal Assent from Her Majesty

The Queen and became an Act of Parliament on 16 March.

Today, therefore, I am writing to give effect to the democratic decision of the

people of the United Kingdom. I hereby notify the European Council in

accordance with Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union of the United

Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the European Union. In addition, in

accordance with the same Article 50(2) as applied by Article 106a of the

Treaty Establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, I hereby notify

the European Council of the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the

European Atomic Energy Community. References in this letter to the European

Union should therefore be taken to include a reference to the European Atomic

Energy Community.

EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

-4-

We should engage with one another constructively and respectfully, in

a spirit of sincere cooperation.

Since I became Prime Minister of the

United Kingdom I have listened carefully to you, to my fellow EU Heads

of Government and the Presidents of the European Commission and

Parliament. That is why the United Kingdom does not seek membership

of the single market: we understand and respect your position that the four

freedoms of the single market are indivisible and there can be no "cherry

picking". We also understand that there will be consequences for the UK

of leaving the EU: we know that we will lose influence over the rules that

affect the European economy. We also know that UK companies will, as

they trade within the EU, have to align with rules agreed by institutions of

which we are no longer a part - just as UK companies do in other overseas

markets.

ii.

We should always put our citizens first.

There is obvious complexity in

the discussions we are about to undertake, but we should remember that at

the heart of our talks are the interests of all our citizens. There are, for

example, many citizens of the remaining member states living in the

United Kingdom, and UK citizens living elsewhere in the European

Union, and we should aim to strike an early agreement about their rights.

iii.

We should work towards securing a comprehensive agreement.

want to agree a deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU,

taking in both economic and security cooperation. We will need to discuss

how we determine a fair settlement of the UK's rights and obligations as a

departing member state, in accordance with the law and in the spirit of the

United Kingdom's continuing partnership with the EU. But we believe it

is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership alongside those of

our withdrawal from the EU.

iv.

We should work together to minimise disruption and give as much

certainty as possible.

Investors, businesses and citizens in both the UK

and across the remaining 27 member states - and those from third

countries around the world - want to be able to plan. In order to avoid any

cliff-edge as we move from our current relationship to our future

partnership, people and businesses in both the UK and the EU would

benefit from implementation periods to adjust in a smooth and orderly

way to new arrangements. It would help both sides to minimise

unnecessary disruption if we agree this principle early in the process.

EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

EUU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 529: Brev fra Storbritanniens premierminister til formanden for Det Europæiske Råd om Storbritanniens aktivering af artikel 50

-6-

The task before us

As I have aid, the Government of the United Kingdom wants to agree a deep

and special partnership between the UK and the EU, taking in both economic

and security cooperation. At a time when the growth of global trade is slowing

and there are ign that protectionist instincts are on the ri e in many part of the

world, Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the interest of all

our citizens. Likewi e, Europe' security is more fragile today than at any time

since the end of the Cold War. Weakening our cooperation for the prosperity

and protection of our citizens would be a costly mistake. The United Kingdom s

objectives for our future paitner hip remain those set out in my Lancaster House

speech of 17 January and the subsequent White Paper published on 2 February.

We recognise that it will be a challenge to reach such a comprehensive

agreement within the two-year period set out for withdrawal discussions in the

Treaty. But we believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future

partnership alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU. We start from a

unique position in these discussions - close regulatory alignment, trust in one

another's institutions, and a spirit of cooperation stretching back decades. It is

for these reasons, and because the future partnership between the UK and the

EU is of such importance to both sides, that I am sure it can be agreed in the

time period set out by the Treaty.

The task before us is momentous but it should not be beyond us. After all, the

institutions and the leaders of the European Union have succeeded in bringing

together a continent blighted by war into a union of peaceful nations, and

supported the transition of dictatorships to democracy. Together, I know we are

capable of reaching an agreement about the UK s right and obligation a. a

departing member state, while establishing a d ep and pecial partner hip that

contributes towards the prosperity, security and global power of our continent.

�½�½�½'J-

---

-----

!J-

�½--;

His Excellency Mr Donald Tusk