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AAt the end of the day there were 1,246 pages to regulate future relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom. On Saturday, both sides published their agreement, anyone can read it, it is not easy to read. In addition to the actual text of the contract of about 400 pages, there are appendices with implementation provisions. For example, the catch quota for each species of fish is listed for the next few years or it is specified in detail how the British police can in future check the registration number of a vehicle registered in the EU.
Thomas gutschker
Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.
That is the most surprising thing about this agreement: that it took nine months of negotiations and only two months of text work, which really should take years. That is what experts and diplomats in Brussels have said over and over again. At the beginning of the talks in March it was said that if the transition period was not extended by two years, in the best of cases a contractual framework would be achieved. The British always dismissed this as bargaining poker. Boris Johnson did not want to extend for any price in the world. Now he still has a full contract, as promised.
The last problem was the fish prices.
That became clear on Christmas Eve at exactly 2:44 pm The British Prime Minister and the President of the EU Commission joined forces for a final video conference. Negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost sat next to Ursula von der Leyen, they and their closest colleagues were staying on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building, in the presidential wing. It was a long night behind them because another unexpected problem had arisen: each side had priced the more than 100 species of fish differently. This resulted in different installments for the next few years. Until the morning had been feverishly calculated, then Johnson and von der Leyen also agreed on the result.
It would have been time to open a bottle of champagne. It was probably ready cold. But he was not drunk. Everyone’s exhaustion was too great, he told himself later. Frost and his people rushed to the station to catch the train back to London. Von der Leyen announced the result with Barnier and once again summoned his commissioners. They recommended it to member states for approval. Later, she too was taken home to her family near Hanover.
British fishermen in a boat off the south east coast of England
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Image: AFP
The first thing the British saw after the breakthrough in Brussels was a generously laughing Prime Minister who raised his arms and raised his thumbs. Boris Johnson posted the photo from his office on Christmas Eve at 3pm on Twitter and wrote about it: “The deal is done.” The victory pose on the desk, reminiscent of a football triumph gesture, should apparently make it clear to everyone: the UK team has won, the criticism would now be petty.
“Good deal for all of Europe”
In a subsequent press conference, Johnson emphasized that the British had achieved their goals and had now regained control of their laws, borders, and finances. At the same time, he presented the divorce as amicable and spoke of a “good deal for all of Europe”. If the kingdom “does things differently” from now on, it will not be bad for the EU. After all, competition has a stimulating effect on rulemaking so that both parties can benefit from it.
