Martin Schulz is the president of the European Parliament, Mark Rutte, the holder of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, and Jean-Claude Juncker is the president of the European Commission.
Advertisement
European President Jean-Claude Juncker gave a joint statement to the press on Friday morning (24 June), representing the European Commission, European Parliament, European Council, and Council of the EU on the British referendum on membership of the EU.
They also announced the deal David Cameron had renegotiated with the EU in February would not take effect and be scrapped, and that until the negotiation process was over, “the United Kingdom remains a member of the European Union, with all the rights and obligations that derive from this”. The British people have expressed their wish to leave the EU.
Britain remains a member of the European Union with all the rights – and obligations – until the process of negotiations over the terms of a departure is settled. Polling results showed Scotland voted to remain with EU.
“Tusk acknowledged that there was no way of predicting all the political consequences of the outcome of Thursday’s Referendum” referendum “especially for the UK”.
The leaders also said that while the United Kingdom remained in the European Union, it must abide by “all the rights and obligations that derive from this”.
However, the promise is not legally binding and may require treaty change – which means referendums in all 28-member states – to make it so.
After a shaky start to his speech as shockwaves reverberate around Brussels, the Eurocrat said: “Personally I am very sad about this decision but of course we have to respect it”.
“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.
Meanwhile, German MEP Manfred Weber, from the party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, insisted on a tough line for the UK: “There can not be any special treatment for the United Kingdom”. “One must do everything to prevent other countries from leaving”, said the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda.
The concessions he gained were dismissed as paltry by “leave” campaigners, who said they would do little to limit immigration from other European Union nations because the bloc guarantees free movement among member states.
Advertisement
Many European officials fear the United Kingdom vote will play into the hands of the far right and left and fuel calls for referendums in other countries.
