Overview

This bill mandates the UK government to formally notify the European Council of its intention to leave the European Union by March 31st, 2017, triggering Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union and beginning the formal Brexit process.

Description

This bill, known as the Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50) Bill, legally compels the UK government to initiate the process of leaving the European Union. The key element is Section 1(1), which imposes a duty on Her Majesty's Government to notify the European Council of the UK's intention to withdraw from the EU by a specific date: March 31st, 2017. Section 1(2) specifies that this notification must adhere to the stipulations of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. Section 2 outlines the short title of the Act ("Withdrawal from the European Union (Article 50) Act 2017"), its commencement date (the day it receives Royal Assent), and its extent (applying to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland).

Government Spending

The bill itself doesn't directly allocate or specify any government spending. However, the process of leaving the EU will undoubtedly involve significant costs for the UK government across various departments, though precise figures are not available at this stage. These costs could include negotiating new trade deals, staffing new agencies dealing with EU affairs, and addressing potential impacts on specific sectors of the UK economy.

Groups Affected

• UK Government: The bill directly impacts the government, obligating them to trigger Brexit.
• Businesses: Businesses trading with the EU face uncertainty and potential changes in regulations, tariffs, and trade agreements following Brexit.
• EU Institutions: The EU institutions would be directly involved in managing the UK's withdrawal process.
• UK Citizens: UK citizens' rights and freedoms within the EU may be altered upon the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
• Citizens of other EU countries in the UK: Similarly, their rights may also be affected.

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