Plugging in the British: EU Foreign Policy

Plugging the UK into EU co-operation on foreign and defence policy may not be straightforward. In particular, the EU and the UK both want to preserve their decision-making autonomy after Brexit. The UK cannot expect a veto in EU discussions of foreign policy. But it should seek a treaty, like Canada’s, to ensure that its voice is always heard; and it should maintain formal and informal channels of communication to the EU institutions and the member-states. Both the EU and the UK seem to think that foreign policy co-operation could form part of an agreement separate from any future trade agreement, and that the new arrangements could enter into force during the transition period.

• Primary Source

The UK in a Changing Europe, 12.02.18: Brexit hokey cokey: the UK may be in (and out) of EU foreign policy, security and defence policy during transition http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-hokey-cokey-the-uk-may-be-in-and-out-of-eu-foreign-policy-security-and-defence-policy-during-transition/

United Kingdom: Department for Exiting the European Union: Foreign policy, defence and development: a future partnership paper (GOV.UK, 2017) http://www.europeansources.info/record/foreign-policy-defence-and-development-a-future-partnership-paper/

Blog: EU Law Analysis, 25.09.17: UK/EU Security Cooperation After Brexit: the UK Government’s Future Partnership Papers http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/ukeu-security-cooperation-after-brexit.html

National Institute Economic Review No.238, November 2016: The UK and EU foreign, security and defence policy after Brexit: integrated, associated or detached http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-uk-and-eu-foreign-security-and-defence-policy-after-brexit-integrated-associated-or-detached/

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