The EU’s highest court sets date to decide whether the UK can reverse Brexit
The EU’s highest court has set a date to decide whether or not Britain can reverse its Brexit decision.
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will review if it is possible for Britain to withdraw its decision to leave the EU in March 2019 on 27 November, according to Reuters.
There is no indication of when the court might offer a ruling.
A Scottish court brought the case to the ECJ after people set against the Brexit vote asked courts to clarify whether Article 50 is reversible.
Article 50 itself doesn’t say whether a member state that triggers it unilaterally can also cancel it unilaterally.
Both UK ministers and the European Commission have argued that the UK would have to obtain agreement from the 27 other EU member states to do so.
The news comes after more than 70 City businesses voiced their support for a so-called people’s vote on any proposed Brexit deal between the UK and EU.
Meanwhile, EU firms are scrambling to stay in the City in the event that no deal is struck before the UK’s planned departure in March 2019.
More than 1,000 firms have expressed interest in taking up the UK’s offer of continued access to the City if the risk of a no-deal Brexit comes to pass.
Minister John Glen is confident that a financial services Brexit deal will be secured “imminently”, he said earlier this week.
The pound rose to a two-week high yesterday as markets expressed optimism that a Brexit deal was close.
Sterling’s climb continued today as it rose to almost 1.32 against the dollar, its highest since mid-October.