Press Advisories

16. 12. 201613:06

Agreement by the EU27 on Brexit negotiations

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and other EU leaders met this evening on the periphery of the European Council meeting as the EU27. During informal discussions, the heads of state and prime ministers of the 27 Member States addressed the issue of Great Britain’s departure from the EU. They issued a joint statement on the process of Great Britain’s departure from the EU.

Representatives of the 27 Member States today confirmed the unity of the EU27 as regards future negotiations on Great Britain’s departure from the European Union. Michel Barner, with whom Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka met last Wednesday in Prague, was named head negotiator for the EU.

The members of the European Council, representatives of the governments of the Member States, will be an integral part of the negotiating team for Brexit. "I believe it is important for Member States to play the lead role in the future negotiations. Member States will approve and regularly update the mandate for negotiations,” said Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.

Presidents and prime ministers of the 27 Member States also agreed on clear priorities for the upcoming negotiations. The EU27 will insist that access to the internal market for goods is inseparable from freedom of movement for persons.

"It will also be a key task for my government to ensure that the rights of Czech citizens working in Britain are respected, so that Brexit affects them as little as possible. I sincerely hope that the final agreement on Great Britain’s departure from the European Union will be acceptable and balanced for both parties and that we will succeed in maintaining a close partnership between the Union and Great Britain," said the Czech prime minister.

Great Britain will trigger the process of its departure from the EU when the British government officially announces its intention to leave the European Union. In recent months, the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has said that her government intends to give notice under Article 50 by the end of March 2017.