Germany, France and Italy have issued a joint warning to Britain, ahead of Tuesday's European Union summit in Brussels, that talks to shape future relations cannot begin until London submits its application to leave the bloc.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, flanked by French president François Hollande and Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi, said they would push for clarity, speed and unity among EU leaders for fresh reform endeavours to boost common security, economic investment and youth employment.
Ahead of a working dinner in Berlin, Merkel said all three leaders agreed that the EU’s exit clause – article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – was very clear.
“The country that wishes to leave must submit its request to the European Council,” she said. “There can be no formal or informal talks [with Britain] until an application to leave the EU has been lodged.”
Following a weekend of recriminations over the Brexit vote and perceived British foot- dragging over its departure, leaders of Europe's three largest member states said the best way to reassure uncertain citizens and nervous financial markets was to show that Thursday's referendum result had not paralysed the EU.
“We have no time to waste,” said Hollande, warning that an extended period of uncertainty could lead to “irrational political and financial behaviour”.
‘Europe is a process’
The French leader said EU leaders respected the British decision, but asked for Britain to respect the EU’s wish to push ahead with “new impulses and concrete priorities”.
The priorities named in Berlin – none of which was new – included plans to boost EU economic growth through investment, to agree greater co-operation to boost security, and to work on creating job opportunities for young people.
“We don’t want to reinvent Europe; Europe is constantly being created,” said Hollande. “Europe is a process and we will concentrate on what needs to be done with quick, concrete measures.”
Renzi said the vote was a clarifying moment for many Europeans. A feeling of sadness at losing Britain had, he said, concentrated minds on what Europe could be: one of kindergartens and museums and not just a Europe of banks. “This is an opportune time to write a new page based on what unites us rather than divides us,” he said.
‘Political vacuum’
What unites the three leaders, and motivates their demands to avoid a post-referendum vacuum, are domestic political pressures from fringe populist parties with EU-critical agendas.
And for all their show of unity in Berlin, there were nuances of difference between the leaders over how much leeway Britain should be given. France is the most impatient, while Germany is showing greater but not limitless patience over the article 50 exit procedure.
One EU diplomat said there was widespread recognition that the UK needed some time to collect itself. Another said the leaders agreed that triggering article 50 was for another day. “But until Article 50 is triggered, there won’t be any secondary negotiations with Britain. All will be in the framework of Article 50,” said the EU diplomat, echoing comments from Berlin.
Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, leading British Leave campaigners, including Boris Johnson, reiterated their claim that Britain could retain access to its single market but implement some limits on free movement.
Amid few signs from Brussels of what shape Britain’s new relationship with the EU might take, European sources dismissed the idea that it could be part of the European Economic Area (EEA) without agreeing to EU free-movement rules.
“EEA without freedom of movement? That would be a stretch,” said one senior official.
Departing prime minister David Cameron will hold talks with the European Council president, Donald Tusk, in Brussels tonight before briefing his 27 counterparts over dinner.
'Rotating presidency'
Leaders are likely to discuss Britain’s assumption of the EU’s rotating presidency, which is scheduled to begin in July 2017. Estonia’s January 2018 presidency is expected to be brought forward by six months.
Meanwhile, US secretary of state John Kerry has appealed for calm in looming talks during a visit to Brussels.
“It is absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people don’t start ginning up scatterbrained or revengeful premises,” he said.
