As Brexit approaches, the U.K. is already being cut out of EU-led clubs.

The European Commission wants to kick the United Kingdom out of a grouping of countries cooperating on North Sea renewable energy — a body that includes non-EU member Norway. Several member countries want the Brits to stay.

The North Sea Energy Cooperation platform, set up in 2016, brings together Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the U.K. to discuss how to develop offshore wind farms and grid infrastructure in the North Sea.

In an email dated January 13 and obtained by POLITICO, Sue Harrison, in charge of European energy markets at the U.K.’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, asked for clarification about her country’s role in the grouping after Brexit.

“I would of course like to attend,” Harrison wrote of a February 3 meeting of one the organization’s subgroups. But “it is not clear to me what impact that [Brexit] will have on my (and my colleagues’) attendance in 2020 and I would be very grateful for clarification.”

Luca Rossi, deputy head of unit in the Commission’s Brexit preparedness department in the secretariat general, wrote back on January 27 that “the non-participation of the UK in any entity of any EU body during the transition means that the UK can no longer be invited to meetings of the [North Sea Energy Cooperation platform] as of the withdrawal date, unless a UK participant is exceptionally invited to attend.”

Officials told POLITICO that Germany, which presides over the North Sea Energy Cooperation platform this year, shares the Commission’s views. However, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Luxembourg want the U.K. to remain a participant.

The Netherlands and Luxembourg expressed this position in a separate subgroup meeting on January 27, according to minutes obtained by POLITICO. Luxembourg argued the platform is not an EU body but an intergovernmental agreement “and if anything, the Commission should leave,” the minutes read.

The minutes also pointed out that “the UK expressed a keen wish to continue to cooperate.”

Although it isn’t a member in its own right, the Commission co-chairs all the high-level and support group meetings, being considered a “driver in substance,” according to the political declaration.

Coordinators will meet February 3 to discuss the U.K.’s participation.

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