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Brexit
begins: Theresa May Article 50 letter to EU President Donald Tusk [FULL
DOCUMENT] - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
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HERE IS THE FULL TEXT OF
THERESA MAY'S LETTER TO EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT DONALD TUSK, BEGINNING THE
START OF BREXIT NEGOTIATIONS.
Dear
President Tusk
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.
This
letter sets out the approach of Her Majesty's Government to the discussions we
will have about the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union and
about the deep and special partnership we hope to enjoy - as your closest
friend and neighbour - with the European Union once we leave. We believe that
these objectives are in the interests not only of the United Kingdom but of the
European Union and the wider world too.
It
is in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that
we should use the forthcoming process to deliver these objectives in a fair and
orderly manner, and with as little disruption as possible on each side. We want
to make sure that Europe remains strong and prosperous and is capable of
projecting its values, leading in the world, and defending itself from security
threats. We want the United Kingdom, through a new deep and special partnership
with a strong European Union, to play its full part in achieving these goals.
We therefore believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership
alongside those of our withdrawal from the European Union.
The
Government wants to approach our discussions with ambition, giving citizens and
businesses in the United Kingdom and the European Union - and indeed from third
countries around the world - as much certainty as possible, as early as
possible.
I
would like to propose some principles that may help to shape our coming
discussions, but before I do so, I should update you on the process we will be
undertaking at home, in the United Kingdom.
The process in the United
Kingdom
As
I have announced already, the Government will bring forward legislation that
will repeal the Act of Parliament - the European Communities Act 1972 - that
gives effect to EU law in our country. This legislation will, wherever practical
and appropriate, in effect convert the body of existing European Union law (the
"acquis") into UK law. This means there will be certainty for UK
citizens and for anybody from the European Union who does business in the
United Kingdom. The Government will consult on how we design and implement this
legislation, and we will publish a White Paper tomorrow. We also intend to
bring forward several other pieces of legislation that address specific issues
relating to our departure from the European Union, also with a view to ensuring
continuity and certainty, in particular for businesses. We will of course
continue to fulfil our responsibilities as a member state while we remain a
member of the European Union, and the legislation we propose will not come into
effect until we leave.
From
the start and throughout the discussions, we will negotiate as one United
Kingdom, taking due account of the specific interests of every nation and
region of the UK as we do so. When it comes to the return of powers back to the
United Kingdom, we will consult fully on which powers should reside in
Westminster and which should be devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. But it is the expectation of the Government that the outcome of this
process will be a significant increase in the decision-making power of each
devolved administration.
Negotiations between the
United Kingdom and the European Union
The
United Kingdom wants to agree with the European Union a deep and special
partnership that takes in both economic and security cooperation. To achieve
this, we believe it is necessary to agree the terms of our future partnership
alongside those of our withdrawal from the EU.
If,
however, we leave the European Union without an agreement the default position
is that we would have to trade on World Trade Organisation terms. In security
terms a failure to reach agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight
against crime and terrorism would be weakened. In this kind of scenario, both
the United Kingdom and the European Union would of course cope with the change,
but it is not the outcome that either side should seek. We must therefore work
hard to avoid that outcome.
It
is for these reasons that we want to be able to agree a deep and special
partnership, taking in both economic and security cooperation, but it is also
because we want to play our part in making sure that Europe remains strong and
prosperous and able to lead in the world, projecting its values and defending
itself from security threats. And we want the United Kingdom to play its full
part in realising that vision for our continent.
Proposed principles for our
discussions
Looking
ahead to the discussions which we will soon begin, I would like to suggest some
principles that we might agree to help make sure that the process is as smooth
and successful as possible.
i.
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. We 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.
v.
In particular, we must pay attention to the UK's unique relationship with the
Republic of Ireland and the importance of the peace process in Northern
Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is the only EU member state with a land border
with the United Kingdom. We want to avoid a return to a hard border between our
two countries, to be able to maintain the Common Travel Area between us, and to
make sure that the UK's withdrawal from the EU does not harm the Republic of
Ireland. We also have an important responsibility to make sure that nothing is
done to jeopardise the peace process in Northern Ireland, and to continue to
uphold the Belfast Agreement.
vi.
We should begin technical talks on detailed policy areas as soon as possible,
but we should prioritise the biggest challenges. Agreeing a high-level approach
to the issues arising from our withdrawal will of course be an early priority.
But we also propose a bold and ambitious Free Trade Agreement between the
United Kingdom and the European Union. This should be of greater scope and
ambition than any such agreement before it so that it covers sectors crucial to
our linked economies such as financial services and network industries. This
will require detailed technical talks, but as the UK is an existing EU member
state, both sides have regulatory frameworks and standards that already match.
We should therefore prioritise how we manage the evolution of our regulatory
frameworks to maintain a fair and open trading environment, and how we resolve
disputes. On the scope of the partnership between us - on both economic and
security matters - my officials will put forward detailed proposals for deep,
broad and dynamic cooperation.
vii.
We should continue to work together to advance and protect our shared European
values. Perhaps now more than ever, the world needs the liberal, democratic
values of Europe. We want to play our part to ensure that Europe remains strong
and prosperous and able to lead in the world, projecting its values and
defending itself from security threats.
The task before us
As
I have said, 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 signs that protectionist instincts are on the rise in many parts of
the world, Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the
interest of all our citizens. Likewise, Europe's 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 partnership 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 rights and obligations as a
departing member state, while establishing a deep and special partnership that
contributes towards the prosperity, security and global power of our continent.
Yours
sincerely
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