UK Permanent Reprsentative to EU Resigns Suddenly

The permanent representative of the UK to the EU Ivan Rogers has resigned suddenly just a few months before Prime Minister Theresa May launches the negotiations for the exit of the country from the EU.

According to Financial Times, Rogers informed embassy staff on Tuesday afternoon that he is leaving his post. He did not specify any reasons for this decision.

Rogers was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron in November 2013 and his mandate ends in November 2017. He is considered to be one of the most experienced British diplomats on EU affairs. Theresa May promised last year to activate Art.50 of the Lisbon Treaty by the end of March.

The Brussels edition Politico has added that the news has been confirmed by the Foreign Office in London and that it must be very unpleasant because Rogers was expected to play a key role in the negotiations on the terms of the “divorce” between Great Britain and the EU.

In December, the British press circulated confidential correspondence in which Rogers states that it is possible that the exit of the UK and the negotiating of new terms with the remaining 27 member-states might take up to ten years.