Article 50 TEU: Withdrawal of a Member State from the EU

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Summary:

The right of a Member State to withdraw from the European Union was introduced for the first time with the Lisbon Treaty, partly addressing a longstanding controversial issue within the European Union.

Further information:

Article 50 TEU does not set down any substantive conditions for a Member State to be able to exercise its right to withdraw, rather it includes only procedural requirements. It provides for the negotiation of a withdrawal agreement between the EU and the withdrawing state, defining in particular the latter's future relationship with the Union. If no agreement is concluded within two years, that state's membership ends automatically, unless the European Council and the Member State concerned decide jointly to extend this period.

The legal consequence of a withdrawal from the EU is the end of the application of the EU Treaties (and the Protocols thereto) in the state concerned from that point on. EU law ceases to apply in the withdrawing state, although any national acts adopted in implementation or transposition of EU law would remain valid until the national authorities decide to amend or repeal them. A withdrawal agreement would need to address the phasing-out of EU financial programmes and other EU norms.

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
Open Europe, 22.02.16: The mechanics of leaving the EU – explaining Article 50 http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-mechanics-of-leaving-the-eu-explaining-article-50/
EUObserver, 24.02.16: EU's Article 50: the rules for Brexit https://euobserver.com/institutional/132415
The Conversation, 03.06.16: What is Article 50 – the law that governs exiting the EU – and how does it work? http://theconversation.com/what-is-article-50-the-law-that-governs-exiting-the-eu-and-how-does-it-work-60262
EU Law Analysis: Blog, 26.09.16: Is Article 50 TEU Valid? http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/is-article-50-teu-valid.html
BBC News, 27.06.16: Reality Check: Does the UK have to trigger Article 50? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36639846
The Guardian, 25.06.16: What is article 50 and why is it so central to the Brexit debate? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/25/article-50-brexit-debate-britain-eu
The Guardian, 26.06.16: Will article 50 ever be triggered? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/26/who-will-dare-pull-trigger-article-50-eu
Politico, 30.06.16: Could Article 50 have been triggered already? http://www.politico.eu/article/could-article-50-have-been-triggered-already-brexit/
EU Law Analysis: Blog, 28.07.16: Brexit Begins: an overview of the legal issues http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/brexit-begins-overview-of-legal-issues.html
In Facts: Tag: Article 50 https://infacts.org/tag/article-50/
UK in a Changing Europe: The Facts: Voting to leave: Article 50 http://ukandeu.ac.uk/fact-figures/voting-to-leave-article-50/
The Conversation, 02.11.16: Once triggered, can Article 50 be revoked? http://theconversation.com/once-triggered-can-article-50-be-revoked-68016
EU Law Analysis: Blog, 19.01.16: Member States’ Right to a Decision on Withdrawal from the EU: A Legal Analysis (Article 50(1) TEU) http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/member-states-right-to-decision-on.html
Verfassungsblog: Tag: Article 50 TEU http://verfassungsblog.de/tag/art-50-teu/
The Conversation: Tag: Article 50 https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/article-50-28778
EPRS: Briefing, February 2016: Article 50 TEU: Withdrawal of a Member State from the EU http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI%282016%29577971
LSE European Institute: EuroppBlog, 08.09.18: Article 50 is flawed: Could the ECJ extend the two-year withdrawal period? http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2018/09/08/article-50-is-flawed-could-the-ecj-extend-the-two-year-withdrawal-period/
EU Law Analysis: Blog, 08.12.14: Article 50 TEU: The uses and abuses of the process of withdrawing from the EU http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/article-50-teu-uses-and-abuses-of.html
Wikipedia: Withdrawal from the European Union https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Withdrawal_from_the_European_Union
EPRS: In-Depth Analysis, January 2018: The (ir-)revocability of the withdrawal notification under Article 50 TEU http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_IDA(2018)596820
EU Law Analysis: Tag: Revocation of withdrawal http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/revocation%20of%20withdrawal
UK Constitutional Law Association: Blog, 29.11.16: Stijn Smismans: About the Revocability of Withdrawal: Why the EU (Law) Interpretation of Article 50 Matters https://ukconstitutionallaw.org/2016/11/29/stijn-smismans-about-the-revocability-of-withdrawal-why-the-eu-law-interpretation-of-article-50-matters/

Official
European Parliament: Article, 29.03.17: Article 50: how the future of EU-UK relations will be decided http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20170324STO68408/
European Commission: Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union – Q&A http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-648_en.htm
Treaty on European Union (TEU): Article 50 http://www.lisbon-treaty.org/wcm/the-lisbon-treaty/treaty-on-European-union-and-comments/title-6-final-provisions/137-article-50.html

ESO Records
Brexit – The United Kingdom and the European Union [After the Referendum] https://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

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