Britain will give up the EU presidency next year as we will be ‘too busy with Brexit negotiations’, Theresa May reveals
The new PM spoke to EU Council chief Donald Tusk as she prepares for crunch talks with Germany’s Angela Merkel
BRITAIN will give up the EU presidency next year, Theresa May revealed today as she prepared for crunch talks with Germany’s Angela Merkel.
The PM rang EU Council chief Donald Tusk to tell him the UK will skip its turn to hold the position - from July to December 2017 - following last month’s bombshell Brexit vote.
It means tiny Estonia will replace Britain next summer.
Member states take turns to hold the six month presidency – when they are charged with pushing legislation and other decisions through EU institutions. It is essentially a ‘chairman’s’ role.
Sources claimed that Foreign Office staff in London were told a week ago that they would not be moving to Brussels – signalling the new PM was preparing to give up the role.
One said: “Staff due to be seconded to the presidency have been told verbally that it will not now be necessary for them to relocate to Brussels.”
Donald Tusk yesterday said he had told Theresa May the EU needs an “orderly, calm Brexit” – dubbing it a “velvet divorce”.
She is today expected to tell Angela Merkel to be patient as preparations for the EU divorce will “take time”.
RELATED STORIES:
The trip to Berlin marks the first foreign foray by the new PM – who will jet off immediately after her first Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons.
A Downing Street spokesman said that Mrs May told Mr Tusk that giving up the presidency was "the right thing to do given we will be very busy with negotiations to leave the EU".
The PM felt it was right to give other EU nations time to make arrangements for a different country to be appointed to hold the presidency during that period.
Number 10 said that Mr Tusk welcomed the fact that Mrs May had come to a swift decision on the issue.
The call was Mrs May's first conversation with the European Council president since becoming PM.
The spokesman added: “Finally, the Prime Minister explained that we will need to carefully prepare for the negotiations to leave the EU before triggering Article 50.
"Donald Tusk reassured the Prime Minister that he will help to make this process happen as smoothly as possible.
“They concluded by looking forward to a strong working relationship and agreed that they should meet soon in Brussels or London.”