Theresa May will soon trigger Article 50
Theresa May will soon trigger Article 50

A LEAKED document has suggested the EU will take the UK to the International Court of Justice if it tries to leave the union without paying an estimated €57 billion ‘divorce bill’.

Obtained by a Dutch publication, a draft plan threatens a long legal battle to force Britain to pay for what the EU sees as ‘liabilities’ for its 43-year membership.

It comes after Conservative MPs have been advising May to simply walk away from negotiations if the EU attempts to impose a mammoth exit fee.

But the UK’s ambassador to the EU Sir Tim Barrow has warned that Brussels has confidence in pursuing ‘other legal options’.

A legal battle at The Hague could delay any new trade agreement with the bloc if it insists on prioritising settling the controversy over the money owed.

Juncker
Juncker

The document, obtained by the respected De Volkskrant newspaper, said the strategy will also insist that access to the single market will depend upon the UK accepting the ‘four freedoms’ – including freedom of movement, which has been a ‘red line’ for PM May.

It will also propose a deal guaranteeing both the future rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons in EU countries, which Spain announced it supports ‘in principle’ this week.

The strategy will also demand that Britain loses some of its existing trade advantages as a price of leaving. It is thought this will dissuade others from following suit.

The Dutch paper claimed only six people have seen the ‘secret EU strategy’, including Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker.

The EU is likely to argue that the UK is obliged to continue paying its contributions until 2020, as it agreed to in 2014, despite its plans to completely leave by 2019.

May will trigger Brexit on March 29.

 

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Britain has a long history of dealing with tyrants and despots who seek to force the British into conditions they do not agree with, we are a stubborn nation, a virulent and active opponent to all forms of aggression shown against us, albeit that we appear docile and compliant until the British Lion is roused, but once roused, the Brits show a remarkable resilience to surrendering their country to other peoples desires.

    Britain always plays by the rules…. until they no longer suit us, then we change the rules.

    Germany has never invaded Britain, by force, though it could be said that they took us in marriage.

    France did once in 1066, but even then it was Normans, not the French that managed to seize control.

    If the EU do not want to see any Fiats/Mercedes/Audi’s/Peugeot’s or Citroen’s sold in the UK, they should stand their ground, we can just as easily drive Japanese or Korean cars, and those manufacturers who do trade with Britain, will benefit from those who are locked into the EU Federal agenda.

    I warrant they will blink before we do, the French always surrender first, the Germans will fight to the bitter end, but the fact is they will lose more trade than we will, and as Kitchener said in WW1
    “We will win, because we have more soldiers than they do” a sad statement where human lives were the beans being counted, but totally apt when referring to trade imbalances and finance.

  2. It is not too difficult to understand…
    Britain has a DEBT of 60 billion euro with the EU
    They have to PAY it before leaving the union.
    And it seems these british politicians does not understand that 50% of british exports go to the EU.
    Replacing that market could take 4 or 5 decades.
    Add to that the independence of Scotland, the reunification of Ireland, a massive debt, increasing inflation rate and the relocation of financial firms, banks, carmakers etc to the EU….
    Brexit is a great thing no doubts

  3. Strange that Germany being part of the the EU establishment that insists that the UK should meet their obligations of a €60bn payment to the EU as part of it’s break away from the EU yet rubbishes their obligation of the agreed 2% towards NATO mounting to $300bn since 2002. Let’s not forget other European country’s that have been riding on the back of the USA for years who has been footing their bill. I would go even further, no protection to default country’s until full payments have been received. (Putin would just love that)
    “PAY UP ” all you European country’s under the protection of NATO. Skiving lot.

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