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The post-Brexit trade and security deal has been unanimously endorsed by EU member states, paving the way for the new deals to come into effect on January 1.
At a meeting of ambassadors in Brussels, the 27 member states gave their support for the 1,246-page treaty to be “provisionally applied” by the end of the year. The decision will be formally finalized by written procedure at 15:00 CET (1400 GMT) on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the German EU presidency, which organizes the bloc’s affairs, said the treaty had received a “green light.”
The only obstacles standing in the way of the agreement that now takes effect are the votes of parliamentarians and peers in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The UK parliament has been summoned to meet on Wednesday 30 December to debate and vote on the legislation.
The European Parliament is delaying its vote, until February or March, when MEPs are expected to return to Strasbourg to complete the formal EU ratification process.
MEPs had said they did not have enough time before the end of the year to analyze the deal.
In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, Michel Barnier said that there was a risk that the treaty would lead to a rancorous relationship between the EU and the UK, given the options to apply fees in the event of regulatory divergence over time. .
“Obviously, there is a risk… but I will not make unfounded accusations here. This agreement should be the basis for smart and sustainable cooperation between Europe and the UK, ”said the EU chief negotiator.
Barnier said he had mixed feelings about the deal. “Can we be happy with a divorce?” he said. The deal, he said, had been “on the verge of breaking down several times,” including “a month ago and most recently in Brussels.” “The British have experienced diplomats who don’t give up and are always asking for more,” he said.
Speaking on Monday morning, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove praised the deal, but said British companies have faced a “bumpy” period since January 1.
“Businesses will need to make sure they are ready for the new customs procedures and we as individuals will have to make sure our passports are up to date because they must be at least six months old before they expire in order to travel abroad,” he said. “I am sure there will be difficult times, but we are there to try to do everything we can to pave the way.”
