Britain must ‘quickly’ announce exit from EU: Commissioner

Britain must “act quickly” and notify Brussels of its intention to leave the European Union to avoid prolonged uncertainty, a top European commissioner said today.

 “There needs to be a notification by the country concerned of its intention to leave (the EU), hence the request to (British Prime Minister David) Cameron to act quickly,” Moscovici, the EU’s economic affairs commissioner, told French media. “There is no reason to prolong the uncertainty,” he added.

 Moscovici was referring to notification via Article 50 of the EU’s 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which Britain must cite in order to initiate the exit process. Under EU law, only the member state concerned can notify Brussels of its intent to quit.