Written Evidence Of Leaving Sm And Cu Before Brexit Referendum?

[David H]

Although all the leaders and ministers said in interviews Britain would leave the customs union and single market if we voted leave, I still haven't found anything confirming this in writing from either side's paperwork. I'm pretty sure it was the official position but was it put in writing?

[ABerrant]

Do you mean the statement of fact that at the moment of withdrawal of the UK from the EU, all treaties with the EU cease to apply [Article 50(3) Treaty on European Union] including the Lisbon Treaty itself which establishes the function of the Internal Market (aka Single Market) [Article 26 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union] and the Customs Union [Article 3 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union];
http://www.lisbon-treaty.org/wcm/the-lisbon-treaty.html

or

do you mean that the UK would not negotiate for a level of access to same i.e. remain outside of both?

Ahead of the 2016 Referendum the Government published two reports required by S.7 European Union Referendum Act 2015 - 'Duty to publish information about membership of the European Union etc' - which detailed the Single Market, Customs Union (and Northern Ireland)...

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/504661/Alternatives_to_membership_possible_models_for_the_UK_outside_the_EU_Accessible.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/516501/Rights_and_obligations_of_European_Union_membership_web_version.pdf

along with an earlier publication on the process for withdrawing from the European Union, a less detailed summary of the above...

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/503908/54538_EU_Series_No2_Accessible.pdf

[David H]

Thanks. I have people claiming we weren't told leaving the EU meant leaving the CU and SM in writing, only verbally (which by law makes no difference) and I was unable to discover either. I'll scroll through the links and reply if the answer is there.