Triggering Article 50 "not good day for Europe" - EP Pres.

BRUSSELS, March 29 (KUNA) -- The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani said that Brexit is the first time that an EU member state has decided to leave the Union.
"Today is not a good day for Europe," he told a press conference here Wednesday following the triggering of Article 50 by the UK to leave the EU. He, however, stressed that the UK will "be leaving the EU but not Europe." Tajani said that the full EP will debate and vote on a Draft resolution on Brexit next week.
The EP draft resolution regrets the decision by the United Kingdom Government not to participate in the internal market, the European Economic Area or the customs union.
It considers that a State withdrawing from the Union cannot enjoy similar benefits as a European Union Member State and stressed that the EP it will not consent to any agreement that would contradict this.
The resolution says that it would be contrary to EU law for the United Kingdom to begin, in advance of its withdrawal, negotiations on possible trade agreements with third countries. On his part, the EP coordinator for Brexit negotiations , Guy Verhofstadt , told the joint press conference that it is the EP that has to approve the Brexit deal with the UK.
He stressed that the legal status of EU citizens living or having lived in the United Kingdom and of United Kingdom citizens living or having lived in other EU Member States, rights must be a priority of the negotiations.
Verhofstadt proposed an agreement for special relationship with the UK after it leaves the EU. (end) nk.gb