Theresa May will begin the process of divorcing the UK from the rest of Europe (Brexit) by early 2017 according to top EU official Donald Tusk.
The Nation reports that European Council President, Donald Tusk, asserts that May had told him the UK could be ready to begin talks by February.
When reached, the Prime Minister’s office said that Brexit would not begin this year but did not confirm if it would start early next year either.
Formal negotiations over the withdrawal cannot begin until the UK triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal mechanism for leaving the union.
For the longest time, a cloud of uncertainty covered any plans or talks as to when the exit would begin with no one really having any knowledge and this uncertainty also covers what the UK’s economic relationship will be with the rest of Europe.
But Mr. Tusk is confident that talks would begin next year as he intimated while at an informal summit without the UK in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava.
He said; “Prime Minister May was very open and honest with me.
“She declared that it’s almost impossible to trigger Article 50 this year but it’s quite likely that they will be ready maybe in January maybe in February next year.”