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| EU leaders to push UK for quick divorce at Brussels summit | EU leaders to push UK for quick divorce at Brussels summit |
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| European Union leaders are poised to push Britain to start divorce proceedings as quickly as possible at a Brussels summit attended by David Cameron. | |
| The leaders of Germany, France and Italy have ruled out any chance of informal talks on the UK’s future relationship with the bloc until it gives formal notification of its intention to leave, with a consensus emerging that this should happen sometime this autumn. | The leaders of Germany, France and Italy have ruled out any chance of informal talks on the UK’s future relationship with the bloc until it gives formal notification of its intention to leave, with a consensus emerging that this should happen sometime this autumn. |
| But the prime minister has insisted that it is Britain’s “sovereign decision” to decide when to trigger article 50, the mechanism by which a member state leaves the union, and Brexit leaders have said they want informal talks on the shape of a deal before locking Britain into the tight two-year extrication process. | |
| Related: Brexit live: 'It was not our responsibility' to have plan for leaving EU, says Osborne | Related: Brexit live: 'It was not our responsibility' to have plan for leaving EU, says Osborne |
| Cameron, who resigned after the shock vote last week, is expected to repeat that initiating the withdrawal process must be a job for his successor, likely to be appointed by early September. Most in Brussels accept that Britain cannot be expected to make a move before the political dust has settled on the referendum. | Cameron, who resigned after the shock vote last week, is expected to repeat that initiating the withdrawal process must be a job for his successor, likely to be appointed by early September. Most in Brussels accept that Britain cannot be expected to make a move before the political dust has settled on the referendum. |
| Cameron will meet the European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and the EU president Donald Tusk before the summit formally starts. He will then take part in long-planned debates on migration, European security and the single market; the rest of the EU is determined to show it is business as usual. | Cameron will meet the European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and the EU president Donald Tusk before the summit formally starts. He will then take part in long-planned debates on migration, European security and the single market; the rest of the EU is determined to show it is business as usual. |
| He will then “explain Britain’s situation” at a dinner and return home, not having been invited to Wednesday’s further talks. Cameron has not yet indicated what he intends to do about the UK presidency of the EU, still in principle scheduled to take place in the second half of 2017. | He will then “explain Britain’s situation” at a dinner and return home, not having been invited to Wednesday’s further talks. Cameron has not yet indicated what he intends to do about the UK presidency of the EU, still in principle scheduled to take place in the second half of 2017. |
| Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has said she has “a degree of understanding” for the fact that Britain may need “a certain amount of time to analyse things”, but warned that a “long-term suspension” of the question would serve no one’s interests. | Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has said she has “a degree of understanding” for the fact that Britain may need “a certain amount of time to analyse things”, but warned that a “long-term suspension” of the question would serve no one’s interests. |
| But she, French president François Hollande and Italy’s prime minister Matteo Renzi have rejected London’s view that it wants a “clear view” of what its future trade relationship with the EU might be before triggering article 50. They say there could be “no informal or formal talks … until an application has been filed to leave”. | But she, French president François Hollande and Italy’s prime minister Matteo Renzi have rejected London’s view that it wants a “clear view” of what its future trade relationship with the EU might be before triggering article 50. They say there could be “no informal or formal talks … until an application has been filed to leave”. |
| While some member states – particularly Poland, which considers Britain one of its greatest EU allies – have wondered whether the UK might not be persuaded to stay, most want Brexit under way quickly to contain the risk of Eurosceptic contagion, limit the economic instability, and allow the EU to move forward with new initiatives on security, growth and jobs. | While some member states – particularly Poland, which considers Britain one of its greatest EU allies – have wondered whether the UK might not be persuaded to stay, most want Brexit under way quickly to contain the risk of Eurosceptic contagion, limit the economic instability, and allow the EU to move forward with new initiatives on security, growth and jobs. |
| Related: EU referendum morning briefing: Cameron goes to Brussels, Corbyn goes to the wire | Related: EU referendum morning briefing: Cameron goes to Brussels, Corbyn goes to the wire |
| Leaders have queued up in recent days to say the process must start soon. Hollande said on Monday that Britain should “not waste time”, adding: “Nothing is worse than uncertainty – and Britain has already had painful experience of this.” Finland’s prime minister, Juha Sipilä, said Britain should leave “as soon as possible”. | Leaders have queued up in recent days to say the process must start soon. Hollande said on Monday that Britain should “not waste time”, adding: “Nothing is worse than uncertainty – and Britain has already had painful experience of this.” Finland’s prime minister, Juha Sipilä, said Britain should leave “as soon as possible”. |
| Brussels has also ruled out informal talks on a possible trade deal before the UK triggers article 50. “No notification, no negotiation,” EU officials have said. | Brussels has also ruled out informal talks on a possible trade deal before the UK triggers article 50. “No notification, no negotiation,” EU officials have said. |
| The EU has no legal means to force Britain to launch the exit process and most European governments as well as Brussels officials now believe the UK should be given until the end of the year at the latest to push the button – meaning it would no longer be an EU member by the European parliament elections and appointment of a new European commission in 2019. | The EU has no legal means to force Britain to launch the exit process and most European governments as well as Brussels officials now believe the UK should be given until the end of the year at the latest to push the button – meaning it would no longer be an EU member by the European parliament elections and appointment of a new European commission in 2019. |
| EU officials have said it would be “unrealistic” to expect Cameron to initiate the exit process at a time when Britain was in “a very significant political crisis, not only of the leadership of the ruling party … but a crisis that goes much deeper”. | EU officials have said it would be “unrealistic” to expect Cameron to initiate the exit process at a time when Britain was in “a very significant political crisis, not only of the leadership of the ruling party … but a crisis that goes much deeper”. |