The EU and the Brexit Negotiations: Institutions, Strategies and Objectives

Analysis abounded of what Brexit meant for the United Kingdom, how the UK government was handling the withdrawal negotiations, and what the UK’s main political factions wanted from Brexit. Much less was available, by contrast, on the EU’s approach and position on Brexit.

Given the asymmetrical nature of the process, this was unwise. In order to understand how the Brexit process really worked, and how it was likely to end up, the EU’s perspective had to be carefully considered.

This paper addressed three questions:

+ What role diddo the EU institutions play in the withdrawal process?
+ What had been the EU’s strategies in the withdrawal negotiations?
3. What did the EU want from Brexit and would its unity hold?

ESO: In Focus, October 2018: [Brexit Negotiations, October 2018]: Secretary of State Dominic Raab's statement - update on EU Exit negotiations, 9 October 2018 / PM statement on Brexit: 15 October 2018 http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-negotiations-october-2018-secretary-of-state-dominic-raabs-statement-update-on-eu-exit-negotiations-9-october-2018-pm-statement-on-brexit-15-october-2018-pms-statement-on-european/

UCL European Institute: UCL Brexit Blog, 30.10.18: The EU’s negotiating strategy has worked so far, but it’s playing a risky game https://ucl-brexit.blog/2018/10/30/the-eus-negotiating-strategy-has-worked-so-far-but-its-playing-a-risky-game/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

European Commission: Brexit negotiations https://ec.europa.eu/commission/brexit-negotiations_en

The Guardian, 06.03.18: [Comment is Free]: Britain is still clueless about the EU’s motives in Brexit negotiation https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/06/britain-eu-motives-brexit

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