What is Article 50?

What is Article 50? | The New European Brexit guides - Credit: Archant

Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union is a section of EU law.

It sets out the process by which a member state may begin the withdrawal process from the EU – Britain is set to become the first nation ever to trigger it.

Once it is triggered a two-year deadline is in place for negotiations to be completed. If agreements are not reached the member state leaves with nothing. This means that Britain is already at a disadvantage because the cost of having no deal would be potentially calamitous.

The Government wanted to trigger Article 50 without a vote in the House of Commons but lost a court ruling and a Bill is now passing through both chambers of Parliament.

Theresa May has stated that she wants to trigger Article 50 before the end of March, 2017.

Words: Richard Porritt

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