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Since I have been critical of the EU in the Brexit process, here is how I think it should have acted instead:
First and obviously, the EU needed to react to the referendum with a strategic decision of its own. Did it want to grab the opportunity to solve the perpetual British problem and build a strong EU without the UK? Or did it want to stop Brexit?
Whatever the answer, the outcome needed to be fully clear. Full clarity and certainty whether it was Leave or Remain. EU could not afford to have 27 1/2 member states. Least of all, to risk being in that limbo more or less forever
It it was exit, the EU needed to take charge of the process. Use tempered threats and so e carrots to ensure UK was out and with a Canada style FTA by 2020. But also that UK was happy with it as only this would ensure clarity and certainty
If it was remain, then utter negotiating intransigence tempered by an offer of a new deal that could effectively shift British public opinion
But as I have written, EU has a genuine dread of political decisions and in this case the dread was compounded by fear of internal disunity. So no path was chosen, drift took over instead, almost as if the EU wants a never-ending Brexit process which saps at its very structure
