(VOVworld) -  Estonia will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2017, that Britain has given up its turn to focus on Brexit, a European Council spokesman said.

President of the EU Council Donald Tusk delivered a speech at a press conference in Brussels (Photo: VNA)

UK Prime Minister Theresa May says Britain will not take its scheduled six-month term next July because it will be busy pursuing negotiations to leave the EU.

The presidency of the European Union is taken in turn by each of its 28 countries, on a 6-month rotation. Slovakia currently holds the presidency during the second half of 2016.