Thread by @MehreenKhn

🚨🚨Wow. The ECJ's advocate general issues opinion saying article 50 can be unilaterally revoked. Not a final ruling but will boost anti-Brexit campaigners

Advocate General says a unilateral revocation of Article 50 should be considered valid as long as the leaving country formally "notifies the
European Council and it does not involve an abusive practice"

Worth noting that EU Council lawyer types this week were warning that they didn't think the Advocate General would be a good indicator of what ECJ judges finally rule on Article 50. Will be more so the case after today

Today's non-binding opinion is a recommendation to #ECJ judges that goes against a concerted warnings from EU Council and the European Commission laywers who say allowing a country to cancel #Article50 on its terms would do irreparable damage to the interests of the EU

Striking that that #ECJ Advocate General has given full throttle support for anti-Brexit campaigners arguments that unilaterally cancelling A50 as
- an act of sovereignty
- prevents a MS being force out against their will
- that notification is not withdrawal (changes nothing)

The ECJ opinion also seems to give absolutely no credence to the EU institutions arguments that Article 50 cancellations would hurt union by giving all the power to the departing member state to negotiate new terms. Quite astonishing how it is dismissed

Last week, the EU's top lawyer told ECJ judges that Article 50 is about protecting the interests of the rest of the EU and not the leaving member state (argument below). The Advocate General today says it is all about the rights of the leaving member state

ECJ trolling: telling the Brits to "take back control" of Article 50