Seminar "To Brexit or not to Brexit? Legal implications of the UK's EU referendum"

This seminar will discuss legal aspects of the upcoming United Kingdom referendum of 23 June 2016 on whether the country will remain a member of the European Union or not.

If the country remains an EU member, this will occur under the conditions agreed upon by the Heads of State or Government who met within the European Council held on 18-19 February 2016. These conditions have been portrayed as ‘legally binding and irreversible’. Is this really the case? And do they bring about real reforms? Could other Member States also benefit from these reforms? Would the Netherlands also be able to limit social benefits for workers from other EU countries?

If the UK leaves, this will need to take place according to Article 50 EU Treaty – a provision that has never been used.

The UK’s withdrawal from the EU would mean unravelling all the rights and obligations that the UK has acquired during its 40-year membership, while establishing a new relationship with the ‘EU-27’. What legal challenges would a ‘Brexit’ carry with it, and what solutions could be envisaged in this respect?

These and other questions will be discussed by our distinguished experts in what promises to be a lively seminar on a topic that can change the future of the European Union.

Speakers:

• Prof. Laurence Gormley, Department of Corporate and European Law, Faculty of Law, University of Groningen
• Dr Davor Jancic, Senior Researcher in EU Law, T.M.C. Asser Instituut

Chair:

• Dr Wybe Douma, Senior Researcher EU Law and International Trade Law, T.M.C. Asser Instituut

>>Download the report