Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations on an agreement with the United Kingdom setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal from the European Union

According to Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirement and shall, if it so decides, notify the European Council of its intention. Article 50 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.

On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the Union and from the European Atomic Energy Community. The European Council adopted guidelines on 29 April 2017. In the light of these guidelines, the present Recommendation proposes that the Council authorises the Commission to open the negotiations for an agreement with the United Kingdom setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal from the European Union and from the European Atomic Energy Community, nominates the Commission as the Union negotiator, and addresses negotiating directives to the Commission.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: European Commission takes next step in Article 50 process by recommending draft negotiating directives http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-commission-takes-next-step-in-article-50-process-by-recommending-draft-negotiating-directives/

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