It is a huge challenge for the EU-27, to unpick the complex tapestry of agreements concluded during the United Kingdom’s 44 years of EU membership, said Angela Merkel in a government statement on Brexit.

Brexit: 44 years of EU membership must be carefully unpicked

Among the 27 remaining EU member states and the European institutions there is now a broad consensus on a common line for negotiations with the United Kingdom. "We can thus assume that a strong signal of unity will be sent by the European Council meeting attended by these 27 states the day after tomorrow," stressed Angela Merkel.

On 29 April 2017 the European Council will meet as the EU-27 for consultations about the exit negotiations with the UK. The European Council is to adopt negotiating guidelines. On the basis of these guidelines the European Commission will draft directives for negotiations. The process to date indicates that the EU-27 is well prepared for negotiations with the United Kingdom and that the 27 member states will act in unison.

A united front

For the German government the future of the European Union remains the most important point for negotiations. According to Chancellor Angela Merkel there are three main concerns:

• "We must defend and uphold the interests of our citizens, German citizens." It is essential that the specific everyday concerns of the 100,000 Germans currently living in the UK be regulated. The German government will be working to achieve clarity on all these issues, and give these people a solid basis on which they can plan.
• "We must avert adverse impacts on the EU as a whole, which could be caused by any unfortunate transition on the part of the United Kingdom to its future status as a third country." Legal certainty is needed.
• "We must strengthen the cohesion of the 27-member EU." The 60 years of the EU represent a unique success story, which the future 27 member states must continue to write, declared Angela Merkel.

The Chancellor pointed out that the European Parliament and the national parliaments of member states will be vitally important in the negotiating process.

What does the United Kingdom want?

The United Kingdom must clearly lay out how it sees its future relations with the EU. British financial commitments to the EU must also be discussed at an early stage of negotiations. As the Chancellor assured, Germany and the EU are ready to take a constructive approach to the Brexit negotiations, but they expect the same of the British government.

Turkey – prudence and clarity are called for

In her government statement, the Chancellor also spoke out clearly on Turkey. "It would not be in the interests of Germany or the EU for Turkey to permanently turn its back on Europe or for Europe to permanently turn its back on Turkey," said the Chancellor.

"We have noted with great concern the report of the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Their reservations are very serious." Turkey will now be judged by how it deals with criticism that it is not acting in a way compliant with the rule of law, said Angela Merkel.

The Chancellor also touched on the case of the journalist Deniz Yücel, who is currently imprisoned in Turkey. "Let us be quite clear about this. It is not compatible with the rule of law when the executive, in this case the Turkish executive, publicly prejudges a case, as in the case of Deniz Yücel." Angela Merkel also warned Turkey about the risks of a break in relations with Europe.