[user_rob]

The EU is in a massive panic and stands to loose a lot more than the UK in money and structure than the UK if exit negotiations go badly. Therefore the UK is in a much stronger position and should just patiently refuse all proposals that involve paying the EU or allowing free movement; the EU will then need to agree quickly to stop the EU descending into chaos.

[gonvaled]

Not so fast. The EU has already accepted that the UK is gone. They are pressuring for negotiations to start, and refusing to do any kind of informal negotiation. It does not look like they are afraid of negotiating at all, which suggests they have a good position.

The UK, on the other hand, ... I don't even know what the UK is doing. Are they even going to follow through?

My impression is that the UK is going to drag its feet for years to come and not activate article 50 in a long time, until your internal political climate either forces a new referendum or general elections [1]:

> Some, however, have warned Britain “may never” trigger the formal divorce process because the tight deadline for talks puts the leaver in a weak position. “I personally believe they will never notify,” one diplomat said. “The moment you push the button you’re in a stupid negotiating position.”

In the meantime, the UK's role in the EU has been permanently damaged, and some important decisions are being taken [2]:

> As shockwaves from the Brexit vote continued to spread, EU officials also said on Sunday the bloc was preparing to move its European Banking Authority from London, setting up a race led by Paris and Frankfurt to host the regulator.

[1], [2] http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/27/europe-leade...

[user_rob]

Interesting, but wanting a fast negotiation is a result of panic and the prospect of an economic downturn for the EU. Germany does not want a weak pound as it will badly hit their exports to the UK. The EU's best strategy is to quickly agree to free trade after Brexit and then re-structure the EU so that other countries don't quit. Alternatively non-EU European countries like Iceland, Norway, Switzerland etc could conceivably set up a more practical alternative trading union. In any event the currency and stock trading frenzy is over the top and mainly fuelled by the hyper-reality presented by the media, as in the end it is still likely that not much will change economically short or long term - for the UK! The UK will take its time - and it should - it will take time for the major European countries to understand their and the EU's fundamental ineffectiveness in solving major problems.