Draft agreement on future relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union "approved"

The EU and the UK have agreed to a draft agreement on their future relations, paving the way for the conclusion of an agreement on Brexit this weekend.

The political declaration – describing the functioning of trade, security and other issues – was "approved in principle", the European Council said.

London and Brussels have already approved the EU's UK exit plan on March 29, 2019.

Theresa May will make a statement to MPs later on Thursday.

Downing Street said Ms. May was currently briefing cabinet ministers on the draft agreement during a conference call.

• The withdrawal agreement – what all this means
• The DUP-Tory agreement is not dead, says Foster

The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said in a tweet: "I have just sent to the EU27 a draft political declaration on future relations between the EU and the United Kingdom. The Chairman of the Commission informed me that it had been agreed at the level of the negotiators and an agreement in principle at political level, subject to the approval of the leaders. "

If the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration are signed at a European summit on Sunday, the Prime Minister will then look into the need to pass the agreement to the British Parliament, where the government will take action. we do not think that there is currently a favorable majority.

It follows a meeting Wednesday evening in Brussels between Mrs May and the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

Downing Street has repeatedly stressed the need for an agreement on the future framework to advance the legally binding withdrawal agreement.

Brussels-based BBC journalist Adam Fleming said that after a first reading of the draft document that had just been published, it contained "something for everyone", but there was "a lot" in this document that should be negotiated after the Brexit.

If all goes as planned, the United Kingdom and the European Union will use the political declaration as the basis of a trade agreement, which will be developed during a 21-month transition period that must enter into force after March 29, during which the United Kingdom will continue to be a member of the single market and the EU customs union.

The draft document stresses that any final agreement with the United Kingdom must not interfere with the EU's "four freedoms" – the free movement of goods, services, capital and people in the 27 countries of the EU. the remaining Union.

"The future relationship will be based on a balance of rights and obligations, taking into account the principles of each party.

"This balance must ensure the autonomy of the Union's decision-making and be in accordance with its principles, in particular with regard to the integrity of the single market and the customs union. and the indivisibility of the four freedoms.

"It must also guarantee the sovereignty of the United Kingdom and the protection of its internal market, while respecting the results of the 2016 referendum, particularly with regard to the development of its independent commercial policy and the end of the free movement of persons. between the Union and the United Kingdom. "

House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom, a member of the Brexiteer group of ministers, has reportedly lobbied for the agreement to be amended, urging members to support it.

She said: "Once the agreement is reached, it will be submitted to Parliament and MPs will have the decision to support or reject it.

"But people should not have the slightest illusion that the EU is ready to start over and negotiate another agreement.

"It is therefore very important that we end up with a direct approval of the agreement."

The Labor Party and the other British opposition parties have said they will vote against the withdrawal agreement, as will the partner of the Mayan Democrat-Unionist Party, on which she is counting for the keep in power.

Dozens of his own conservative MPs are also against, saying that the UK would remain too closely linked to the EU and that it is not a "good" Brexit.