Key points of the EU-UK agreement on Brexit

BRUSSELS – The European Union has officially approved a divorce agreement with Britain, the first country to have left the block of 28 countries. The agreement consists of a legally binding withdrawal agreement of more than 580 pages and a 26-page political declaration on future relations.

Some key points:

WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT

Transition period: Britain will leave the EU on 29 March but will remain in the bloc's single market and will be subject to its rules until the end of December 2020, while both parties develop a new trading relationship . The transition period may be extended to two years before 1 July 2020, if both parties decide to have more time.

Irish Border: The agreement commits both parties to seek a security solution to ensure the border between Ireland, EU member, and Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom, always free of customs posts or other obstacles. It keeps the UK in a customs agreement with the EU and will last until it is replaced by new permanent trade agreements. Both parties say they hope that a new agreement will be in place by the end of 2020, which means that support is never needed.

Divorce Bill: Britain agrees to pay about 39 billion pounds (50 billion dollars) to cover staff pension contributions and EU program commitments made by the United Kingdom while he was a member for the funding period up to 2020.

Citizens' rights: European Union citizens living in Britain and the British elsewhere in the bloc will continue to have the right to live and work.

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POLITICAL DECLARATION

Both parties committed themselves to "building an ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership between trade and economic cooperation, law enforcement and criminal justice, foreign policy, security and defense wider cooperation ". after the departure of Britain from the EU on March 29th.

Trade: Great Britain and the EU are looking for a "global" economic relationship, including a free trade area. Common customs arrangements will be put in place to allow trade free of customs duties and both parties commit to "build and improve" the temporary single customs territory defined in the withdrawal agreement.

The UK "will consider aligning with EU rules in relevant areas" to ensure a friction-free economic relationship. But the document acknowledges that proximity will be limited by the EU's need to protect the integrity of its single market and by Britain's desire to have an independent trade policy.

Irish Border: Britain and the EU pledge to replace the "backstop" with a permanent solution "which establishes alternative arrangements to ensure the absence of hard border on the island d & # 39; Ireland. " This could include technological solutions not yet developed.

Financial Services: Both parties should consider whether they can declare the regulatory regimes of the other "equivalents" in order to facilitate cross-border financial services. They should aim to complete their evaluations by the end of June 2020.

Fishing: one of the most controversial issues – which has access to British and European territorial waters – is postponed. The statement only indicates that both parties should "establish a new fisheries agreement", ideally by 1 July 2020.

Security: Both sides will try to maintain law enforcement cooperation at the same level as today "as much as technically and legally possible". There should be "timely exchange of sensitive information and information between the relevant Union authorities and the United States."

Travel: UK and EU citizens will not need visas for short visits.

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THE NEXT STEP

British Parliament: the next vote in the British Parliament will be the main obstacle to the implementation of the agreement reached Sunday. This vote is expected before Christmas and will probably be preceded by heated debates in the House of Commons.

Prime Minister Theresa May is pushing for adoption, but she is facing a tough battle in Parliament, in part because her own Conservative Party has a group of disgruntled lawmakers who say they are opposed to the deal.

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, which generally supports the government, is also opposed to this agreement, as are the leaders of the main opposition Labor Party and the much smaller Liberal Democrats.

May has several weeks to gather support. European leaders are convinced that they will not make further concessions to make it easier for it to gain Parliament's approval.

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