Trigering artical 50 was about the UK leaving the EU, nothing else. Trade deals are a seperate thing entirely, we requested early talks on our trading relationship with the EU and as it would be to the EUs benifit as well as the UKs the EU agreed to early talks as long as sufficient progress had been made in the exit negotions, mainly the settlement figure, EUs citizens rights and the Irish border. This has not happened.
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Not sure I agree with this!
Read item 2 below!
Article 50
1. Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.
2. A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention. In the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal,
taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It shall be concluded on behalf of the Union by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.
3. The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.
4. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 3, the member of the European Council or of the Council representing the withdrawing Member State shall not participate in the discussions of the European Council or Council or in decisions concerning it.
A qualified majority shall be defined in accordance with Article 238(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
5. If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49.
SO:
"future relationship" can easily be interpreted to include trade, along with the rights of citizens.
The EU have been banging on about the rights of citizens, yet keeping very quiet about trade.
I don't think the EU are playing by the same set of rules as this article was intended.