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http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/feb/28/if-britain-voted-to-leave-the-eu-what-would-happen-next
Brexiters play down the difficulties of renegotiating trade and other deals, but the process of withdrawal
could take years
For the first half century of its existence, joining the club of nations that became the European
Union was, in legal terms at least, forever. Once inside, there was no way out.
But the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in 2009 to streamline the EUs working practices
after it had expanded to include the former communist states of eastern Europe, also signposted
the exit for the first time.
What is Article 50?
Article 50 is part of the Lisbon Treaty that governs membership of the European Union. It states
that: Any member state may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own
constitutional requirements.
It goes on to describe the process of withdrawal. Once a country has formally declared that it
wants to leave, it must then negotiate with the 27 other members for up to two years about
the terms of departure.
Issues at stake would include, for example, what trade tariffs Britain would face for different
products and services; what rights to movement EU citizens would have into Britain (and vice
versa); and how much of the financial regulation initiated in Brussels would apply to the City of
London.
Who would have to sign off on the proposed deal?
Any severance terms would then have to be ratified both by the European council and the
parliament in Strasbourg. It will be difficult, because it has to go through the EU legislative
process, with each state having its own political imperatives, says Damian Chalmers, professor
of European law at the London School of Economics.
Britain would also have to negotiate new trading arrangements with scores of non-EU countries,
including China, India and the US, to whose markets it now has preferential access as an EU
member.
How long will it take is the two year deadline achievable?
Brexiters, including Ukips Nigel Farage, tend to play down the complexity of this process; but
some experts believe that in reality it could take much more than two years.
The treaty states that the period for negotiation could be extended, with the unanimous support of all
member states; without such an agreement, Britain would be unceremoniously ejected when the time
was up.