Assumption College San Lorenzo Makati City
Assumption College San Lorenzo Makati City
Assumption College San Lorenzo Makati City
SAN LORENZO
MAKATI CITY
SUBMITTED BY:
ISAAC, PATRICIA CLAIRE G.
2/26/2020
I. FACTS
- The UK voted to leave the European Union on June 23 rd 2016 by a majority of 51.9 to
48.1 per cent, with a turnout of just under 72 per cent. This set the UK on course to leave
the EU, but left all the details of its exit still to be decided. The timetable was set the
following March 29th, when British prime minister Theresa May took the formal step,
required under EU law to start the exit process, of triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon
Treaty. Under the two-year process the UK was due to leave the EU on March 29 th, 2019
but that date was postponed after a meeting of the European Council until October 31st,
2019. However, the UK can leave earlier if it ratifies the Brexit withdrawal agreement
before that. The talks between the UK and EU started in June 2017 and focused on the
details of the UK’s withdrawal, which must be set down in a formal, legal agreement.
Outline agreement was reached on what the UK will pay the EU after departure – the so-
called exit bill or divorce bill – and on the mutual recognition of the rights of UK citizens
in the EU and EU citizens in the UK.
II. BACKGROUND
- A blend of “Britain” and “exit”, the word was coined by former lawyer Peter Wilding
four years before the vote for the UK to leave the EU took place. The EU, built on the
ruins of World War Two to integrate economic power and end centuries of European
bloodshed, is now a group of 28 countries which trade and allow their citizens to move
between nations to live and work. In the June 23, 2016 referendum, 52 percent of British
voters backed leaving while 48 percent voted to remain in the bloc. Prime Minister David
Cameron, who called the referendum, resigned immediately afterwards. In November
2018, agreement was also reached on a backstop for the Irish border, a way to provide a
guarantee that there be no hard border on the island of Ireland no matter what future trade
arrangements are agreed between the EU and UK. This cleared the way for a draft
withdrawal agreement and final talks on a political declaration outlining the principles for
future negotiations. This draft needs to be ratified politically by both sides. The process
was subsequently thrown into crisis after Theresa May failed on a number of occasions to
secure support from the House of Commons for her deal.
III. ANALYSIS