LONDON (AP) – U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May pledged Sunday that Britain would trigger the formal process for leaving the European Union before the end of March 2017, putting to rest weeks of speculation on the timing of the move.
While the prime minister had long hinted that she would start the process early next year, many observers had speculated that she would hold off until the French presidential elections, due to conclude in May.
Britain voted in a June referendum to leave the EU, but has not yet invoked the article of the EU treaty that would trigger negotiations. Triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty early next year would set the nation on a course to leave the 28-nation trading bloc by 2019.
May confirmed her plans to the BBC on Sunday ahead of ahead of a speech on the so-called British exit or Brexit at her Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham.
“I will be saying in my speech today that we will trigger (Article 50) before the end of March next year,” she said