Chatham House Primer:

Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott

Phony War?
The Referendum
 Treaty of Lisbon:
Article 50 and its invocation
 Article 50(1):
‘Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in
accordance with its own constitutional requirements’
• WHAT ARE ‘CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS’?
POSSIBILITIES:

1. Decision by PM under prerogative or

2. Constitutional Convention requires
parliamentary deliberation before notification or
3. Decision not by PM but Act of Parliament or
4. Must also consult/get consent of devolved
governments

CAN OTHER STATES TRIGGER PROCESS?

What happens once triggered?
Article 50(2):
‘In the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the
Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State,
setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of
the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That
agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3)
TFEU.’

The roles of the UK Parliament and EU institutions

Can Art 50 be stopped once triggered?
What can and can’t be negotiated?
• SHOULD UK JOIN EEA TO REMAIN IN SINGLE
MARKET?
• Legal security for exports from the UK to EU
(and vice versa).
• Could be quick, reducing uncertainty, UK
already part of EEA, and arguably no
process to join it.
• Would leave UK free to sign own trade deals
with other countries.
• UK not be bound by CCT, CAP, CFP or VAT
policy. EEA doesn’t cover foreign policy or
criminal law, although UK could make
separate deal on those issues
• EEA covers most EU laws on workers’ rights
and environment
• EEA membership only option to guarantee
financial services similar access to IM as
under EU.
Or WTO as default?
 Immigration, refugee and asylum obligations

• Acquired rights?
• Non EU Asylum and
migration
• ECHR protection
Approving the final deal
What happens if there is no agreement
after two years?
UK constitutional implications of Brexit:

The European Communities Act (ECA) 1972

Gateway of EU law into UK law. Incorporates EU law (UK dualist). Has to be
repealed. ECA 1972, s 2:
‘[a]ll such rights, powers, liabilities, obligations and restrictions from time to time
created or arising by or under the Treaties…are without further enactment to be
given legal effect or used in the United Kingdom’

Disentangling UK and EU law: In addition to ECA repeal, 3 different types of law

to consider:
a). Directly applicable EU laws - EU regulations and parts EU treaties
b). Secondly, Statutes which implement EU directives or other obligations.
c). Thirdly, numerous UK regulations made under s.2(2) ECA 1972 to implement
directives.
Implications for Devolution
- Good Friday agreement
- EU law incorporated into devolution statutes:
s. 29(2)(d) Scotland Act 1998, ASPs incompatible
with EU law are ‘not law’. Sewel Convention.
- E&W leave EU and Scotland and Northern
Ireland remain? Greenland precedent?
 Article 50

• 1. Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.

• 2. A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention. In the light of the
guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting
out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That
agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It
shall be concluded on behalf of the Union by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the
European Parliament.

• 3. The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement
or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with
the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.

• 4. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 3, the member of the European Council or of the Council representing the
withdrawing Member State shall not participate in the discussions of the European Council or Council or in decisions
concerning it.

• A qualified majority shall be defined in accordance with Article 238(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union.

• 5. If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in
Article 49