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EU leaders react as UK PM Theresa May officially triggers Brexit EU leaders react as UK PM Theresa May officially triggers Brexit
(35 minutes later)
EU leaders are responding after UK Prime Minister Theresa May officially triggered the Brexit process. "After nine months the UK has delivered," declared EU Council President Donald Tusk in a portentous tweet on receipt of the letter triggering Brexit from Prime Minister Theresa May.
"After nine months the UK has delivered," EU Council President Donald Tusk tweeted after receiving a letter in Brussels signed by Mrs May. The tone of his speech in Brussels was full of regret. There was "no reason to pretend that this is a happy day" in Brussels or London, he added. "We already miss you."
He later said that there was "no reason to pretend that this is a happy day" in Brussels or London. Looking on the bright side, he said there was "also something positive" about Brexit as it had made the 27 states remaining in the EU more determined and united than before.
"Most Europeans, including almost half the British voters, wish that we would stay together, not drift apart." That mood of regret tinged with defiance was echoed by a tweet from European Parliament President Antonio Tajani: "Today isn't a good day. #Brexit marks a new chapter in our Union's history, but we're ready, we'll move on, hoping UK remains close partner."
Still, there is "also something positive" about Brexit, Mr Tusk added. "Brexit has made us a community of 27 more determined and more united than before." In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman said the letter gave "more clarity" on how the UK planned to proceed.
The EU states would protect their interests in the "difficult negotiations" that lie ahead, he said.
He concluded: "We already miss you. Thank you and goodbye."
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May hails 'historic' Brexit moment
A spokeswoman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Britain remained a key EU ally.
The official notification would give Germany "more clarity" on how Britain planned to proceed, Ulrike Demmer said.
"We must not forget that the UK is still a partner, in Nato and in Europe," she said."We must not forget that the UK is still a partner, in Nato and in Europe," she said.
Manfred Weber, a German politician and chair of the centre-right EPP Group in the European Parliament, was more blunt. A more bitter response came from another leading German politician, Manfred Weber, chair of the centre-right EPP Group in the European Parliament.
Pointing the finger at British politicians who had campaigned for Brexit, he complained that they had had the chance to grow up in a free Europe but now they were erecting walls.
"EU has done everything to keep the British. From now on, only the interests of the remaining 440 million Europeans count for us," he tweeted."EU has done everything to keep the British. From now on, only the interests of the remaining 440 million Europeans count for us," he tweeted.
Reality Check: Article 50 triggered French far-right MP Marion Maréchal-Le Pen had nothing but praise for the British move: "The British people have rediscovered their liberty," she tweeted, adding that her party, the National Front, would offer France its own go at independence.
What happens now? Future for citizens
10 areas that will shape the Brexit talks Austria's government was more concerned with clarifying the status of EU citizens and establishing the legal certainty of Austrian companies in Britain.
Austria's government said that clarifying the status of EU citizens living in Britain was a priority. "For me, the status and rights of around 25,000 Austrians living and working in the UK are at the forefront," Chancellor Christian Kern said.
"For me, the status and rights of around 25,000 Austrians living and working in the UK are at the forefront", Chancellor Christian Kern said.
"We also want to achieve clarity and legal certainty for Austrian companies operating in the UK," said Mr Kern.
European Parliament President Antonio Tajani tweeted that the EU would "move on" after Britain leaves.
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, the French diplomat Michel Barnier, tweeted that his team was "ready".The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, the French diplomat Michel Barnier, tweeted that his team was "ready".
'Divorce hurts' - European press reaction, by BBC Monitoring'Divorce hurts' - European press reaction, by BBC Monitoring
There is little optimism on show among European press commentaries as Britain begins the process of its departure from the EU. There was little optimism on show in Europe's newspapers as Brexit loomed.
"Divorce hurts", warns Germany's centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung over a photograph of Winston Churchill's brooding statue in Parliament Square. "Divorce hurts," warned Germany's centre-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung over a photograph of Winston Churchill's brooding statue in Parliament Square.
The paper's economics correspondent Ralph Bollman focuses on what Brexit will cost Germany, given that a European Union losing its third largest economy will "also weaken Germany's voice in the world". But overall he thinks a"highly-indebted Britain has the most to lose from uncertainty over a friendly deal with Brussels". Its economics correspondent Ralph Bollman warned that the loss to the EU of its third largest economy would "also weaken Germany's voice in the world". Overall, he believed a "highly-indebted Britain has the most to lose from uncertainty over a friendly deal with Brussels".
France's centre-left Le Monde runs "the consequences of the break" as its top front page story, seeing Mrs May starting from a "position of strength at home, given the decay of the Labour Party", but facing "complex negotiations over expatriates, access to the single market, and control of borders". The headline for France's centre-left Le Monde was "The consequences of the break". While Theresa May started from a position of strength because of "the decay" of the opposition Labour Party, the UK faced "complex negotiations over expatriates, access to the single market, and control of borders".
Italy's Corriere della Sera says "Brexit is under way, but without walls", declaring that the negotiations will set "no predetermined ceilings for EU migration, but rather decisions sector by sector". Italy's Corriere della Sera said "Brexit is under way, but without walls": negotiations would set "no predetermined ceilings for EU migration, but rather decisions sector by sector".
The front page of Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza declares that "today Brexit begins", and its London correspondent Maciej Czarneck, like so many others, dubs it a "journey into the unknown". For the London correspondent of Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza this was the start of a "journey into the unknown". Its focus was on the fate of Polish workers in the UK. Even its account of a possible second referendum on Scottish independence was headed with the question: "What does this mean for Polish immigrants?"
The paper's coverage focuses on the fate of Polish workers in Britain, and even its account of the Scottish independence question is headed "What does this mean for Polish immigrants?"