Proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union

Brexit is an art and portmanteau of " Britain" and "Exit"; it stands for a possible exit of Great Britain from the European Union (EU). In the same way the word Grexit arose in relation to Greece, where it refers to the euro exit.

British Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the possibility of an EU withdrawal of his country in a speech in January 2013.

The annual negotiations on the EU budget in the UK regularly throw the question whether the EU membership at all worthwhile - that is, whether the benefits paid the disadvantages. Cameron has announced a referendum on EU membership in Britain. If he is re-elected in 2015, the British could vote in 2017 for the exit. Particularly controversial is the EU working time directive. According to the Chamber of Commerce Association it costs annually 1.8 billion pounds British company.