text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  European Union (Withdrawal) Bill - Seek Participation in European Economic Area via EU Withdrawal Agreement Negotiations
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  @ MP voted aye against making the UK's withdrawal from the EU conditional on seeking, as an objective for the UK's negotiation of the withdrawal agreement, an international agreement which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area. 
  @ MP voted no to make the UK's withdrawal from the EU conditional on seeking, as an objective for the UK's negotiation of the withdrawal agreement, an international agreement which enables the UK to continue to participate in the European Economic Area. 
  
  
  The majority of MPs voted against making the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union conditional on seeking, as an objective for the United Kingdom's negotiation of the withdrawal agreement, an international agreement which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area. 
  
  The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area European Economic Area ] is the area, set up by the EEA agreement[1],  in which there is free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Single_Market European Single Market]. Membership of the EEA is open to members of either the European Union (EU) or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Free_Trade_Association European Free Trade Association], the latter being comprised, at the time of writing, of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
  
  MPs were considering the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill[2].
  
  The motion rejected by the majority of MPs in this vote was:
  
  : That this House disagrees with Lords amendment 51
   
  Lords amendment 51[3] stated:
  
  :Page 15, line 21, at end insertâ
  :â(2B)    But none of the remaining provisions may come into force until it is a negotiating objective of the Government to ensure that an international agreement has been made which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area after exit day.
  :(2C)    Regulations under this Act may not repeal or amend subsection (2B).â
  
  
  The explanatory notes to the Lords amendments to the Bill[4] stated, in respect of the amendment:
  
  :Lords Amendment 51 would prevent the Minister from commencing aspects of the Bill until it is a negotiating objective of the Government to ensure that an international agreement has been made which enables the United Kingdom to continue to participate in the European Economic Area after exit day.
  
  The amendment relates to Clause 19 of the Bill[5] which provided for certain sections of the Bill to come into force as soon as it became an Act, and empowered ministers to set the commencement data of other provisions, including the key operative Clause 1[6], which would withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union by repealing the [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/68/contents European Communities Act 1972] which implemented the treaties of the European Union in United Kingdom law. 
  
  ==
  
  * [1] [http://www.efta.int/sites/default/files/documents/legal-texts/eea/the-eea-agreement/Main%20Text%20of%20the%20Agreement/EEAagreement.pdf European Economic Area Treaty, as amended, European Free Trade Association website] 
  * [2] [https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/europeanunionwithdrawal.html Parliament's webpage on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill]
  * [3] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0212/hcb212withoutendorsement.15-18.html Page of amendment sheet containing Lords amendment 51. Parliament.uk website, 16 May 2018]
  * [4] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0212/en/18212en01.htm Explanatory notes to the Lords amendments to the Bill]
  * [5] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2017-2019/0079/lbill_2017-20190079_en_2.htm#pb6-l1g19 Clause 19 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, version as referred to by the Lords amendments. 18 January 2018]
  * [6] [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2017-2019/0079/lbill_2017-20190079_en_2.htm#pb1-l1g1 Clause 1 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, version as referred to by the Lords amendments. 18 January 2018]
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  