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The British government and EU circles have confirmed an agreement on a post-Brexit deal since the turn of the year. A hard rift between the British and the EU seems to have been avoided.
After months of negotiations on a Brexit trade pact, the European Union and Britain reached an agreement. Both parties confirmed this on Thursday afternoon. The head of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the negotiator Michel Barnier announced a press conference. With the agreement, a strong economic breakdown seems to have been avoided at the end of the year.
The trade agreement aims to regulate the economic relations between the island and the mainland as of January 2021. The most important point is to avoid tariffs and ensure that trade is as fluid as possible. The contract also includes fishing and cooperation in energy, transport, justice, police and many other topics.
Britain left the EU at the end of January and is only a member of the EU internal market and the customs union for a transition period until December 31. Then comes the economic breakdown. Without an agreement, more complex customs duties and controls would be necessary. Business representatives from both sides warned of the disruption and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs.
European Minister Karoline Edtstadler immediately left in a
Consignment know: “I welcome the successful completion of the
Negotiations on future relations between the EU and the
UK. The agreement is a solid basis for
a strong partnership for the future. “Your thanks goes
especially to the EU negotiating team with President von der Leyen
and chief negotiator Barnier at the top. “The EU has shown that
who can find constructive solutions even in difficult times
capable “.
Term extensions from October
In reality, the negotiations should have concluded in October, but they dragged on. Several times they were on the verge of failure. Due to the short time, an agreement by the EU can no longer be ratified in time. It would have to be applied provisionally if all 27 EU states agree. On the British side, the government has announced that it will refer the matter to Parliament.
The agreement promises exports from Great Britain to the EU internal market without tariffs and without volume restrictions. However, for this, the EU requires fair conditions of competition, the so-called level playing field. What is meant are the same environmental, social and subsidy standards.
The issue remained a very complex point of discussion until the end. A way was sought to ensure fair competition for the future as well and to counter it in another way. It was not until Wednesday afternoon that it was finally said that all points related to a level playing field had been clarified.
Fishing rights remain a stumbling block
Then there was one last sticking point that had been hotly debated for weeks: EU fishermen’s access to British waters. The clarification of the final details dragged on for many hours until noon on Thursday. Finally, a compromise was found here too.
The worsening corona pandemic in Britain had recently increased the pressure. After a mutated variant of the coronavirus was discovered, France temporarily closed its borders to traffic from the UK. That is why thousands of trucks got stuck on the British side, from the critics’ point of view, a preview of the situation in a no-deal Brexit.
British voters had voted in 2016 with a narrow majority to leave the EU. Prime Minister Boris Johnson won the parliamentary elections in 2019, among other things with the announcement that Brexit will actually take place. As a central point, he repeatedly mentioned the recovery of sovereignty and control over one’s borders and laws.
(APA / dpa / Reuters)
