EU newsflashThe European Commission proposes a comprehensive reform of value added tax (VAT) systems to create a single EU VAT area. The aim is to reduce fraud and create better conditions for companies and citizens. |
Spotlight on Brexit
Citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016, and the EU is now preparing to reduce itself to 27 Member States. Negotiations started in June 2017, addressing the legal issues that should be resolved before the state leaves the Union in March 2019. Agreements need to be made on a number of legal and economic issues. Brexit negotiations are headed by the European Commission and are evaluated by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The European Council assessed the progress of negotiations at its recent meeting on 19-20 October. Building on this progress, the European Council calls for work to continue with a view to consolidating the convergence achieved and pursuing negotiations in order to be able to move to the second phase of the negotiations as soon as possible. How will Brexit affect the EU of the remaining 27 Member States? What will it mean for policies such as trade? What will Brexit mean for EU citizens in the UK, and for British citizens in the EU? A selection of recent publications provides some insight. |
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The referendum in June 2016 started a period of uncertainty for both the UK and the EU. Although the process of withdrawing from the EU is outlined in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, many aspects remain unclear in practice. This study considers the legal and procedural issues surrounding the UK’s withdrawal, focusing in particular on the formal exit process and the EU’s negotiation position. It also presents possible scenarios for future EU–UK relations.
Available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish |
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Customs union, internal market acquis for goods and services, consumer protection law, public procurement
What does Brexit mean for the EU customs union, the internal market for goods and services and related legal aspects? Three scenarios for future relations with the UK are outlined in this publication: membership of the UK in the European Economic Area; tailor-made arrangements; and a fall-back scenario, which would be a relationship governed by the laws of the World Trade Organisation.
Available only in English |
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London is currently a hub of EU financial services. How will Brexit affect these activities? This study looks at different variations of ‘hard Brexit’, including one in which the city is transformed into an ‘offshore financial centre’, as well as at the scenario in which the UK joins the European Economic Area.
Available only in English |
| A full list of publications on Brexit is available on EU Bookshop. |
Also out this month |
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The European Commission works in close interaction with citizens to jointly develop ideas for Europe’s future. Citizens’ dialogues, which are a regular feature of the daily work of the Juncker Commission, have been central to the ‘future of Europe debates’. This brochure shows how this is done in the context of the White Paper on the Future of Europe, which the Commission presented in March 2017.
Available in all the official languages of the EU |
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The European Commission and the EU Member States collaborate closely on dealing with the increased influx of refugees. The ‘hotspot’ approach, introduced in 2015, assists Greece and Italy in coping with the high number of migrants arriving at their external borders. This report highlights how this approach works and what still needs to be done.
Available in all the official languages of the EU except Irish |
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Ex-post impact assessment
The European Union has overseas countries and territories which fall under the sovereignty of four EU Member States: Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. These territories offer specific tax regimes to companies which have recently come under scrutiny. The legal, political and institutional framework governing EU relations with them is outlined in this study.
Available only in English |
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