Il UK it will not leave the EU before the end of 2016. The British prime minister says so Theresa May, during the meeting with Angela Merkel in Berlin. A farewell, therefore, which will not be accelerated, also to allow London to better prepare for leaving the Union: "We will leave when our objectives are clear".
On the other hand, for Angela Merkel, "the treaties are clear: the United Kingdom can also take time to present Article 50 which would initiate its exit from the Union, but no negotiations before that moment". According to the German chancellor, playing on waiting does not benefit anyone, "neither the British people, nor the Union".
The first concrete step towards Great Britain's exit from the Union, however, has already been taken: the prime minister of the United Kingdom, in fact, communicated to the president of the European Council, Tusk, that he wanted to renounce the rotating presidency European Union in the second half of 2017, after a few days of hesitation in London on the subject.
According to Theresa May, “Britain will remain a part of Europe” despite Brexit. A statement echoed by Merkel: "We did not ask Great Britain to leave the EU but we respect the vote and we are sure that good relations will remain". However, it will be necessary to find new forms of collaboration, "since Great Britain will no longer sit on the European Council".
