1. AALEP acts a centre of expertise on public policy advocacy. It is the independent centre of reference and excellence for promoting public policy advocacy in the EU and beyond.
2. AALEP acts as a catalyst, promotes collaboration, launches new initiatives and introduces solution to improve public policy advocacy capabilities.
3. AALEP helps professionals and practitioners working in the field of public policy advocacy pinpoint best practice and new areas of research. It also works with partners in other world regions, exchanging information and expertise.

Author: Dr. Jana Puglierin

At a time when, more than ever, the EU needs to act as a united international player in order not to become a pawn in the hands of major powers, the European member states are increasingly struggling to find the energy and political will to set aside their disagreements and focus on the European common interest. The EU often had no adequate answers to foreign policy crises, and its influence on the international system as a whole has declined.

Decentralised EU agencies play an important role in the European Union (EU). They  have been set up by the EU to perform technical and scientific tasks that help the EU institutions implement policies and take decisions. They are spread across the EU. In parenthesis number of staff.

Scotland never endorsed Brexit on any occasion. While its clear decision to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum became widely known, it also rejected Brexit at every subsequent election. Not even a single opinion poll ever demonstrated majority support in Scotland for leaving the EU. Talk of profound division on the question of Europe does not apply in Scotland. The fact that Scotland and the UK left the EU anyway raises existential concerns over the UK’s constitutional system and indeed the future of the UK as a state.

Situation

The exit of the United Kingdom from the EU will affect Union fisheries in UK waters in the North Sea, West of Scotland, Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea and Falklands Islands. It would also have an impact on access of UK fish products to the Union market and vice versa. Reciprocal restrictions to waters and markets would have meaningful socio- economic consequences for the two actors.

PART I: INITIAL PROVISIONS

1. BASIS FOR COOPERATION

A. Core values and rights

B. Data protection

2. AREAS OF SHARED INTEREST

A. Participation in Union and Euratom programmes

B. Dialogues

PART II: ECONOMIC PART

1. OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES

2. GOODS

A. Objectives and principles

B. Free trade area

C. Customs cooperation and trade facilitation

D. Regulatory aspects

During the transition period, the UK will retain the benefits of EU membership and will remain a part of the EU’s internal market and customs union. Simultaneously it will start trade negotiations with the EU. On the other hand, the UK will lose its representation in the European institutions and will not participate in EU decision-making. The post-Brexit transition period ends at the end of 2020. The UK has stated that it will not request an extension of the transition period.

Most member states will want continued free trade in goods – as long as the UK maintains a level playing field.

The shortest free trade agreement negotiations the EU has ever held were with South Korea and took two and a half years, with another eighteen months for approval and ratification. Most free trade agreements take six to eight years to negotiate. The FTA negotiations with Canada, often cited as a model for the UK, began in 2009 and were concluded in 2017. It will take another seven years for all aspects of the agreement to take effect.

9 August 1961: Britain formally applies to join what was then called the European Economic Community (EEC).

14 January 1963: France's president Charles de Gaulle vetoes the application. He rejects it again on 27 November 1967.

1 January 1973:  Britain finally enters the EEC at the same time as Ireland and Denmark, after De Gaulle has left office..

5 June 1975: In a referendum called by the new Labour government on remaining in the EEC, more than 67% of Britons vote "Yes".