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The post-Brexit trade deal is in effect. This is shared by representatives of the British government and the EU. This prevented a hard Brexit shortly before the end of the transition period.
Britain and the European Union have reached a trade agreement. According to the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Boris Johnson, the agreement was reached, which should avoid a severe economic breakdown from January 1, 2021. The trade agreement aims to regulate economic relations between the island and the mainland as of January 2021. The most important objective was to avoid tariffs and guarantee the most fluid trade 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.
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 deal is done!”
At a press conference, von der Leyen described the agreement as complete and fair for both parties. Britain remains a trusted partner for the EU. “It has been a long and rocky road. But the result is good,” he said. EU chief negotiator Michael Barnier spoke of a “day of relief”. The agreement will now be presented to the EU Parliament. The President of the EU Parliament, David Sassoli, announced that MEPs will analyze the contract that has now been negotiated and vote on an adoption in the new year.
Johnson tweeted a triumphant photo with the message “the deal is done!”
A statement from the prime minister’s office said the deal delivered on everything promised to the UK public during the 2016 referendum and last year’s elections. “We have regained control of money, borders, trade and fishing waters.” The deal is “fantastic news for families and businesses across the UK”.
President-in-Office of the German Council: Please do your best to bring it into force
In an initial reaction, Chancellor Angela Merkel said she hoped Germany could quickly decide whether to approve the deal.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced: “Of course, we will now examine the draft closely in the EU member states. Because the 27 EU member states and later also the European Parliament must agree.” . As president of the Council, Germany wants to do everything possible to see the agreement provisionally enter into force on 1 January.
In Britain, a spokesman for the opposition Labor Party welcomed the conclusion of a deal as in the national interest, which had long been insisted on.
The stumbling block to the end: fishing rights
The agreement promises exports from Great Britain to the EU internal market without tariffs and without volume restrictions. To do this, however, the EU requires fair competitive conditions, 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. Then there was one last sticking point that had been hotly debated for weeks: EU fishermen’s access to British waters. 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.
