by Suff » 18 Jun 2016, 21:24
Aggers,
Before the Lisbon Treaty there was no viable way to exit the EU, well none that was documented. Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty set that out. Basically it was a direct copy (as was most of the Lisbon Treaty), of the Constitution which the French and Dutch voted out.
What it does is set the maximum time that a country can have to exit. Of course if everyone comes to the table and all the agreements are made, then the country could be out sooner.
During that time the country which is leaving is still part of the EU, still trades with the EU and still has to abide by the directives, until either 2 years are reached or a final resolution and agreement is made by the remaining 27 countries and the exiting country.
After 2 years, whatever the state of affairs, the country exits and then can apply trade sanctions or anything else it wants to the EU.
Very little has been said about this, deliberately by Remain and not very clearly by Leave.
The 2 years, however, allows the leaving country to arrange trading agreements with other nations outside the EU, to go into effect as soon as the 2 years are up.
Remain has been totally dishonest about that because, for the 2 years of separation, not that much would change. All the stories of doom and the end of the world on the 24th are just that, stories of doom. It's why I get so angry about the whole thing. If the government and the Leave campaign had honestly told the people all the in's and outs of how it would work; there would be a lot less fear and a lot more optimism and a real debate could have ensued....
There are 10 types of people in the world:
Those who understand Binary and those who do not.