Brexit: EU sombre as UK prepares to end 47
No entire country has ever left the EU before, so there is no protocol on
No entire country has ever left the EU before, so there is no protocol on
No entire country has ever left the EU before, so there is no protocol on
the UK will fall out of all EU decision-making bodies – and the consequences will
will be taken down, British access to EU diplomatic cables will be switched off, the
UK will go beige on EU maps – the neutral colour of a foreign
that grey midsummer morning in Brussels, some EU officials, British and non-British alike, cried
in their offices, several EU sources have said. Then Brexit became a
what we have worked for,” said one EU diplomat referring to the tortuous negotiations over
At the end of the week, three EU presidents will mark this fracture in EU
the European commission, Charles Michel, chair of EU leader summits, and David Sassoli, European parliament
Steel Community, the precursor of the modern EU. Neither the timing, nor the venue seem
No entire country has ever left the EU before, so there is no protocol on
British flags in the EU institutions will be taken down by maintenance
sent to the House of History, the EU-funded museum in Brussels. At the EU
council of ministers, the nerve-centre of EU law-making, the union jacks will be
cupboard, along with those of other non-EU states, “third countries” as the EU refers
access to the diplomatic cables from 139 EU delegations around the world, draft legislation and
decision-making. The switch-off only affects EU internal communications, as the UK will continue
to have access to EU crime-fighting databases under the terms of
the transition period. EU diplomats have received warnings to check that
scrubbed a grey or beige colour on EU online maps, like Switzerland and Norway. Technicians
the UK, from updating technical points on EU law, to the educational output aimed at
no longer be able to walk into EU buildings. Passes and keys must be returned
wielding vetoes on taxation and driving forward EU foreign policy sanctions against rogue states. The
where diplomats successfully strategised about reducing the EU budget during all-night talks fuelled by
prepare for the UK’s doomed 2017 EU presidency, which never happened. Instead of Cameron
For some EU diplomats, Brexit day brings relief. One likened
s policy of removing the British from EU meetings