Britain Gives Up 2017 EU Presidency

The UK has said it will not host the rotating Council of EU Presidency in the second half of 2017, German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says.

The paper cites a letter from British Prime Minister Theresa May to EU Council President Donald Tusk.

The Prime Minister's office has also confirmed, according to British media. A spokesperson of May quotes her as saying her government will be "very busy with negotiations to leave the EU'.

Though widely expected after a referendum in which a marrow majority of Britons voted to leave the EU, the move brings up the question of Bulgaria's EU Presidency, which is currently scheduled for the second part of 2018, but could begin in January of the same year, some experts have said.

The prospect has also been mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Meglena Kuneva, who oversees the preparations.

The EU presidency rotates every six months, with the host country being able to shape the agenda of meetings.

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