Abstract
This chapter reviews the positive and negative aspects of the UK’s legacy for the European Union (EU). One of the key conclusions is that, whilst the UK has typically portrayed itself as a victim of the EU, in practice it has exercised a very real influence within the EU system. It is, however, an influence that it has consistently tended to underplay. The chapter then looks at the UK’s role during the Brexit process. This is followed by an examination of EU institutional jobs in the UK and UK institutional jobs in the EU. The chapter concludes with some thoughts on the continuing links between the UK and the EU after Brexit has occurred, and at the policy choices the UK has to make as regards its future relationship with the EU.
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Notes
- 1.
Figures cited in Hix, S., Hagemann, S., and Frantescu, D. (2016). Votewatch Special Report: “Would Brexit Matter? The UK’s Voting Record in the Council and European Parliament”.
- 2.
Jonathan Hill resigned after the UK referendum and was replaced by Julian King.
- 3.
Ironically a number of other Conservative MEPs were at the Conservative Party conference, and did not take part in the vote at all.
- 4.
EP resolution of 7 February 2018 on the composition of the European Parliament, op. cit. in Chapter 5.
- 5.
Contained in EP resolution of 7 February 2018 on the revision of the framework agreement between the European Parliament and the European Commission, also op. cit. in Chapter 5.
- 6.
European Commissioner Oettinger, for example, is reported in Politico of 30 January 2018 as having promised to make a statement in March that UK permanent staff will not be asked to leave post-Brexit and that even other staff, such as contractual and temporary staff, will be judged on a case-by-case basis.
- 7.
For example Matthew Baldwin in July 2016 in the area of mobility and transport and later Simon Mordue in November 2016 in the sensitive area of migration and home affairs, both posts within the European Commission.
- 8.
This whole issue is the subject of a detailed set of slides from the EU Taskforce on negotiations with the UK, “Internal EU 27 Preparatory Discussions on the Framework for the Future Relationship, Level Playing Field”, published on 31 January 2018 and looking at the situation as regards taxation, state aids and environmental and labour standards.
- 9.
The EU negotiating team document on a “Level Playing Field” (op. cit.) calculates, for example, that UK industry could make huge direct savings by reducing EU emission standards.
- 10.
Possible regulatory divergence is going to be one of the key issues in such negotiations, where the EU is likely to push for the inclusion of a “non-regression clause” on regulatory standards on the lines of that included in the EU–Japan Trade Agreement.
Bibliography
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UK Government Positions Since Brexit Referendum
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May, T. (22 September 2017). Florence Speech.
Other Material
Duff, A. (2018). “Brexit: What If Britain Changes Its Mind?” European Policy Centre (EPC) Discussion Paper, Brussels.
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Jacobs, F.B. (2018). The UK and Europe. In: The EU after Brexit . Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77279-0_7
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