RB>RM> From my point of view it is strange that there was a ballot, and RB>RM> people voted. And now they take YEARS to comprehend how to implement RB>RM> the decision!
RB> "Years"? I count months, and not many of them.
Negotiations cannot start before 2017 and may very well run into 2020.
I would assume, though not sure, that prior to that the British parliament needs to have a say first because Theresa May [who tries her very best, in my opnion, to look like Margareth Thatcher] does not have a blank cheque to go ahead.
Once when going ahead, neither the Europan parliament nor the European Commission have a blank cheque either. The EP can very well decide to not approve whatever Verhofstadt and his buddies will negotiate. Then it's back to square-1.
As for the European Commission, each directorate-general needs to negotiate separately. There are 33 of them plus another 12 "Services" that need to be negotiated.
Directorate Generals:
Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) Budget (BUDG) Climate Action (CLIMA) Communication (COMM) Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CNECT) Competition (COMP) Economic and Financial Affairs (ECFIN) Education and Culture (EAC) Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL) Energy (ENER) Environment (ENV) European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) Eurostat (ESTAT) Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA) Health and Food Safety (SANTE) Human Resources and Security (HR) Informatics (DIGIT) Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (GROW) International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO) Interpretation (SCIC) Joint Research Centre (JRC) Justice and Consumers (JUST) Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MARE) Migration and Home Affairs (HOME) Mobility and Transport (MOVE) Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) Regional and urban Policy (REGIO) Research and Innovation (RTD) Secretariat-General (SG) Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD) Trade (TRADE) Translation (DGT)
Services:
Central Library European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) European Commission Data Protection Officer European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) Historical archives Infrastructures and Logistics - Brussels (OIB) Infrastructures and Logistics - Luxembourg (OIL) Internal Audit Service (IAS) Legal Service (SJ) Office For Administration And Payment Of Individual Entitlements (PMO) Publications Office (OP) The Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS)
3 years of negotiation? Not that much for all the territory which needs to be covered.
Concerning the Brexit I would like to reference Shakespeare "Much ado about nothing"..
