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| 'A sad day for Europe': EU aghast as Britain votes Brexit | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK’s unprecedented decision to quit the European Union plunged the 28-state bloc into the deepest crisis in its history, a seismic detonation that could yet topple the entire project. | The UK’s unprecedented decision to quit the European Union plunged the 28-state bloc into the deepest crisis in its history, a seismic detonation that could yet topple the entire project. |
| Results showing that Britons had voted to reject 43 years of EU membership raised immediate questions of whether other member states might follow suit – and whether the political alliance known for 70 years simply as “the west” could remain intact. | Results showing that Britons had voted to reject 43 years of EU membership raised immediate questions of whether other member states might follow suit – and whether the political alliance known for 70 years simply as “the west” could remain intact. |
| Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was one of the first to react, calling the result “truly sobering”. “It looks like a sad day for Europe and the United Kingdom.” | Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, was one of the first to react, calling the result “truly sobering”. “It looks like a sad day for Europe and the United Kingdom.” |
| Manfred Weber, the chairman of the European People’s Party group of centre right parties in the European parliament, added that the vote “causes major damage to both sides.” He stressed that Britain had crossed a line and that there was no going back. | Manfred Weber, the chairman of the European People’s Party group of centre right parties in the European parliament, added that the vote “causes major damage to both sides.” He stressed that Britain had crossed a line and that there was no going back. |
| “Exit negotiations should be concluded within two years at max. There cannot be any special treatment. Leave means leave.” | “Exit negotiations should be concluded within two years at max. There cannot be any special treatment. Leave means leave.” |
| EU leaders and officials will spend Friday scrambling to prepare for a crisis session this weekend, ahead of a regular summit next Tuesday and Wednesday. Priorities are likely to be preventing further contagion spreading through EU ranks – and the euro currency. | EU leaders and officials will spend Friday scrambling to prepare for a crisis session this weekend, ahead of a regular summit next Tuesday and Wednesday. Priorities are likely to be preventing further contagion spreading through EU ranks – and the euro currency. |
| As dawn broke on Friday, Europe’s political class was still coming to terms with the UK’s historic decision to leave. Although the tiny population of Greenland left the European Economic Community in 1985, never before has a sovereign country served its notice to the world’s biggest trading bloc. | As dawn broke on Friday, Europe’s political class was still coming to terms with the UK’s historic decision to leave. Although the tiny population of Greenland left the European Economic Community in 1985, never before has a sovereign country served its notice to the world’s biggest trading bloc. |
| The UK was the EU’s second-largest economy and largest military power. It will embark on the process of leaving just as the union grapples with huge numbers of migrants, economic weakness and a nationalist Russia seeking to overturn the post-cold war order. | The UK was the EU’s second-largest economy and largest military power. It will embark on the process of leaving just as the union grapples with huge numbers of migrants, economic weakness and a nationalist Russia seeking to overturn the post-cold war order. |
| The leaders of the EU institutions will hold crisis talks on Friday morning. Tusk will meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, and Martin Schulz, the president of the European parliament. | The leaders of the EU institutions will hold crisis talks on Friday morning. Tusk will meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European commission, and Martin Schulz, the president of the European parliament. |
| The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, who faces his own battle with EU populists, will also attend, because the Netherlands holds the EU’s rotating presidency until 1 July. | The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, who faces his own battle with EU populists, will also attend, because the Netherlands holds the EU’s rotating presidency until 1 July. |
| But Brussels will look to Germany and France to show the world that Europe is still in business. Italy is likely to also play a role in crisis talks, although Spanish elections on Sunday rule out much input from Madrid. | But Brussels will look to Germany and France to show the world that Europe is still in business. Italy is likely to also play a role in crisis talks, although Spanish elections on Sunday rule out much input from Madrid. |
| One of the most pressing questions is when the British government will submit a formal letter of resignation from the union, using the EU treaty’s untested article 50. Once the UK announces its intention to trigger article 50, the clock starts running on two years of negotiations. | One of the most pressing questions is when the British government will submit a formal letter of resignation from the union, using the EU treaty’s untested article 50. Once the UK announces its intention to trigger article 50, the clock starts running on two years of negotiations. |
| The UK has to negotiate two agreements: a divorce treaty to wind down British contributions to the EU budget and settle the status of the 1.2 million Britons living in the EU and 3 million EU citizens in the UK. | The UK has to negotiate two agreements: a divorce treaty to wind down British contributions to the EU budget and settle the status of the 1.2 million Britons living in the EU and 3 million EU citizens in the UK. |
| The second treaty will be more momentous for Britain’s future: an agreement to govern future trade and other ties with its European neighbours. | The second treaty will be more momentous for Britain’s future: an agreement to govern future trade and other ties with its European neighbours. |
| The process is likely to be difficult. Tusk has estimated that both agreements could take seven years to settle “without any guarantee of success”. Most Brussels insiders think this sounds optimistic. | The process is likely to be difficult. Tusk has estimated that both agreements could take seven years to settle “without any guarantee of success”. Most Brussels insiders think this sounds optimistic. |
| Jean-Claude Piris, a former head of the EU council legal service, predicts it will take eight to 10 years to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal, as well as UK participation in other EU policies, such as student exchange schemes or research. | Jean-Claude Piris, a former head of the EU council legal service, predicts it will take eight to 10 years to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal, as well as UK participation in other EU policies, such as student exchange schemes or research. |
| He rubbished claims that Britain would get unfettered access to the single market, without free movement of people, as the equivalent of believing in “Father Christmas”. The British “cannot get as good a deal as they have now, it is impossible”, Piris added. | He rubbished claims that Britain would get unfettered access to the single market, without free movement of people, as the equivalent of believing in “Father Christmas”. The British “cannot get as good a deal as they have now, it is impossible”, Piris added. |
| Some Brussels insiders fear France and Germany may soften their approach after the shock of the vote. Others think countries, especially France, will push for a harsh settlement to hammer home the price of leaving. | Some Brussels insiders fear France and Germany may soften their approach after the shock of the vote. Others think countries, especially France, will push for a harsh settlement to hammer home the price of leaving. |
| One likely outcome of negotiations is that banks and financial firms in the City of London will be stripped of their lucrative EU “passports” that allow them to sell services to the rest of the EU. | One likely outcome of negotiations is that banks and financial firms in the City of London will be stripped of their lucrative EU “passports” that allow them to sell services to the rest of the EU. |
| Although the long-term consequences of Brexit will be seismic, on paper, nothing changes immediately. The UK remains an EU member until it has finalised the terms of its divorce and is obliged to follow all EU rules. | Although the long-term consequences of Brexit will be seismic, on paper, nothing changes immediately. The UK remains an EU member until it has finalised the terms of its divorce and is obliged to follow all EU rules. |
| In theory, the UK retains the decision-making privileges of membership; in reality, power will rapidly drain away. British diplomats can expect to be marginalised in the councils of Brussels, as no one sees the point of bothering about the UK when it is halfway to the door. MEPs will press for Juncker to sack Jonathan Hill, the UK’s EU commissioner, who holds the prized portfolio of financial services. | In theory, the UK retains the decision-making privileges of membership; in reality, power will rapidly drain away. British diplomats can expect to be marginalised in the councils of Brussels, as no one sees the point of bothering about the UK when it is halfway to the door. MEPs will press for Juncker to sack Jonathan Hill, the UK’s EU commissioner, who holds the prized portfolio of financial services. |
| The UK will keep its veto in some areas, such as tax and foreign policy, but diplomats say Britain’s voice on other EU decisions, for example economy and business, will count for little. | The UK will keep its veto in some areas, such as tax and foreign policy, but diplomats say Britain’s voice on other EU decisions, for example economy and business, will count for little. |