Germany’s Merkel vows new EU impulse after Brexit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has vowed "a new impulse" for the European Union following the Brexit while noting that no deals will be made with London until it formally informs the bloc of its exit.
Merkel made the announcement following a meeting with French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Berlin on Monday.
“We agreed on this, that there will be no informal or formal talks on the exit of Britain until an application has been filed to leave the European Union," she said.
She further promised that the 27 states remaining in the EU would continue with the European project, adding that “we will suggest to our (EU) colleagues that we should put in place a new impulse ... in the coming months.”
She also urged unity among the remaining countries and called for a joint push for cooperation in the fields of “defense, growth or jobs and competitiveness."
She also noted that there must not be a prolonged “period of uncertainty,” adding that the EU must deal with the "centrifugal forces" of states pushing to follow suit.
In his turn, Hollande called on the UK not to “waste time" in its process, citing the benefits of all parties in a hastily exit.
"Being responsible means not wasting time -- not wasting time in dealing with the question of Britain's departure, not wasting time too in putting in place the new stimulus that we need to give to the European Union, that is to say, the 27 members," he said.
Noting that “nothing is worse than uncertainty,” Hollande added, "Uncertainty generates often irrational behavior. Uncertainty also leads financial markets to act irrationally."
Ahead of the meeting, Renzi welcomed Britain’s exit from the European Union as an opportunity for the rest of the bloc to make changes to the bloc's structure.
Brexit has created a "great opportunity" for the EU states to focus "a bit more on social issues and a bit less on bureaucratic ones."
He further echoed concerns by other European leaders about a delayed process of exit for Britain from the EU, saying not much time should be spent on deciding the technicalities of the case.
People in Britain voted to leave the 28-nation bloc on Thursday. The historic vote dealt a huge blow to EU’s ambition of greater unity amid a declining economic situation and the embarrassing burden of refugees. UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation after the vote and said he would leave office by October.
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