“We can not get into a period of extended uncertainty”, Juncker told the European Parliament, adding: “No notification, no negotiation”.
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Juncker said he banned his policy commissioners from participating in informal negotiations with the United Kingdom after members of the “Leave” campaign said they hoped to negotiate a new deal before triggering the formal exit process.
Farage, a member of the parliament and a leader in Britain’s “leave” movement, was booed and jeered when he urged Europe to give Britain a good trade deal when it leaves, saying jobs in Germany’s auto sector might be at stake if it doesn’t.
Junker then broke from his speech and turned to Farage and said: “That’s the last time you are applauding here… and to some extent I’m really surprised you are here”.
Isn’t it amusing? When I came here 17 years ago and I said that I wanted to lead a campaign go get Britain out of the European Union, you all laughed at me.
Offering a tongue in cheek “thank you for the warm welcome”, he told them: “When I came here 17 years ago and said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the European Union you all laughed at me”.
Mr. Tusk reiterated that divorce proceedings will begin only when the British government triggers Article 50 of the European treaties, after which the clock starts ticking on two years of negotiations.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she will use “all her strength” to prevent the European Union from drifting apart. “No notification, no negotiation”, Juncker said.
David Cameron was heading to an awkward meeting with European Union leaders on Tuesday.
“I will propose that we can hold an informal leaders meeting in September because we need a few weeks to prepare”.
“If you were to decide to cut off your noses to spite your faces, and to reject any idea of a sensible trade deal the consequences would be far worse for you than it would be for us. Despite the vote the British remain our friends”.
“Before we do that, we need to determine the kind of relationship we want with the European Union”, he said. Responding to murmurs of criticism of his leadership of the European Commission that have intensified since the British vote, the former Luxembourg prime minister declared: “I’m not exhausted, I’m not sick as newspapers in Germany write”.
An arch-federalist and passionate believer in the European project, the German politician last week called on British prime minister David Cameron to trigger exit negotiations as early as today. Merkel, head of the EU’s biggest economy, made clear that isn’t an option.
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The declines followed a brutal day of trading in Europe and the United States on Monday.
