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The British “Brexit”: the negotiations are exhausted
Xinhua News Agency, London, December 25 Topic: British “Brexit”: Aftermath of negotiations have been exhausted
Xinhua News Agency reporter Gu Zhenqiu and Yang Hairuo
“What we call the beginning is often the end, and announcing the end is the beginning.” The President of the European Commission, Von der Lein, quoted the famous phrase of the British poet Eliot at a press conference after the agreement on future relations between Britain and Europe was reached on the 24th. Express complex feelings about the end of negotiation.
With just 7 days left in the UK’s ‘Brexit’ transition period, the marathon of future UK-Europe relations negotiations finally came to an end on the 24th – after more than 9 months of tough games , the two parties finally included trade, security, etc. Agreement was reached on a number of issues related to partnerships.
The conclusion of this landmark agreement not only ended the long and tortuous “Brexit” process, but also relieved British business circles that were preoccupied with the nightmare of a “no-deal Brexit”. This means that if the respective parliaments can approve the deal in time, the UK will formally engage in trade with the EU under the new deal as a non-EU state from 1 January next year; the relationship between the UK and Europe will turn a new page thereafter. , The political map of Europe will see further changes.
For the UK, reaching an agreement with the EU, the largest trading partner, means that some of the uncertainties that have appeared since the 2016 ‘Brexit’ referendum have finally been removed, and bilateral trade between the UK and the EU return to the WTO framework. The consequent high tariff costs. This will bring more hope of recovery to the British economy, which has been hit hard by the new corona epidemic, while keeping the “rice bowls” employment of hundreds of thousands of people.
Britain’s “Brexit” is an unprecedented event in the European integration process, and its impact on European integration and geopolitics is difficult to manifest in a short time. Implementation of this new 2,000-page agreement requires a replication process within the UK and between the UK and Europe. There are over a hundred fish involved in fishing rights, the biggest problem only in negotiations, and you can imagine the difficulty of implementation. Therefore, although the difficult negotiations are finally over, the impact of the British “Brexit” is far from over.
From a short-term perspective, even with the new escort arrangement, the trade flow between Britain and Europe is still not the same as that of the British remaining in the EU single market. Not to mention the changes brought about in trade in services, when it comes to commodity trade, the newly adjusted customs clearance procedures and border inspections will be inevitable. On the one hand, how to adapt as soon as possible to the new business relationship and avoid the chaos caused by insufficient preparation is a challenge that both government agencies and commercial companies will face; On the other hand, for the UK and many other European countries under the current epidemic, it is especially important to ensure the smooth entry and exit of food, medicine and other materials.
In the long term, according to the previous estimate by the UK Office for Budgetary Responsibility, compared to staying in the EU, “Brexit” will see the UK face 4% of GDP in the next 15 years, even if an agreement is reached with the EU. lost. The impact of “Brexit” is not limited to the economic and commercial spheres, for example, it may exacerbate Scotland’s pro-independence trend to some extent.
From a broader perspective, “Brexit” is the product of Britain’s attempts to adjust its foreign relations, and its end signifies the beginning of a new historical process. In the ‘post-Brexit’ era, how does the UK ensure its political stability, economic prosperity and international influence while breaking away from its traditional European alliances, and how does it fulfill the government’s proposed ‘globalization’ when national populist power is at stake. increasing? The “UK” scenario is still an unresolved proposition.
Everything in the past is a prologue. The “black swan” that launched “Brexit” a few years ago has finally landed. Whether it is a major turning point in UK development or a phased adjustment, history cannot give an immediate answer. However, many Britons who are physically and mentally exhausted by “Brexit” sincerely hope that the end of the negotiations between Britain and Europe will be the beginning of a new stage in the history of “Brexit”.
