LONDON: The European Union gave its official approval of Brexit on Thursday, taking the last step in its internal procedures before Britain leaves the bloc on Friday. Following a sometimes emotional vote in the European Parliament on Wednesday, the countries remaining in the union gave a last seal of approval to the agreement on Britain’s withdrawal. In the end, the way the decision became final was vintage Brussels: bureaucratic and undramatic.
Diplomats from the European Union’s remaining 27 countries were given plain instructions over email just after 8pm on Wednesday, once the European Parliament had voted to enact Brexit: Answer these four questions with “yes,” “no,” or “abstain” and send them in an email to the European Council.
At 1pm local time on Thursday, the answers came in, formally completing the withdrawal agreement.
The process used — known in European Union parlance as “written procedure” — is reserved for technical decisions that can be handled by officials and don’t require top diplomats or heads of government to meet in person. “The council has adopted, by written procedure, the decision on the conclusion of the withdrawal agreement on behalf of the EU,” the European Council said.
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