After 4 years of negotiations, the most difficult in European history since World War II, the European Union and Britain reached a historic trade agreement, only one week after the end of the Brexit transition.
The new agreement allows British products and goods to benefit from entering the European market, without incurring customs duties, and the same applies to European products coming to the British market.
It appeared that both sides were trying to present themselves as a victor in these negotiations, as the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the negotiations were not easy, but the agreement was worth suffering, stressing that the Union succeeded in ensuring the rights of European workers and citizens, saying, "It is time to turn the page." And thinking about the future. "
On the British side, the pro-Brexit camp has resorted to leaking news since last night, stating that Britain emerged victorious from these negotiations.
By looking at the most important details of this two-thousand-page agreement, it appears that the British obtained what they consider to be the restoration of sovereignty over their borders, while the Europeans succeeded in seizing points related to trade and protecting their markets.
Despite the harsh statements that accompanied the negotiations, especially in their last days, each party made concessions that helped achieve this agreement, especially with regard to fishing, fair competition standards, and mechanisms for resolving trade disputes, which are issues that remained thorny until the last hours of the negotiations, and there is no evidence for that. Of the five contacts in one day between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the President of the European Commission to put the final touches to the agreement.
The European Union and Britain reach a historic trade agreement after 4 years of difficult negotiations (Getty Images)
Neither victor nor vanquished
The trade agreement document between the European Union and Britain remains a historical reference, given its size and survey of all areas, including nuclear cooperation, air navigation, the movement of citizens and many details, which make the two parties maintain very close relations, despite the "Brexit".
British pro-BRISKET websites published a leaked human rights document, stating that the British negotiating delegation succeeded in obtaining 47% of its demands in these negotiations, while the European delegation took 17%, and 40% of the disputed points were agreed upon.
A view that not many people agree with, whether inside or outside Britain, despite Boris Johnson's insistence in announcing the agreement, that what has been achieved is a "victory" for the United Kingdom.
Until the last hours, the issue of marine fishing remained unresolved, and despite its small size financially, it is of great political importance, and means the restoration of the United Kingdom's control over its borders, and London was proposing to reduce 60% of the volume of European fishing in its waters while the Europeans were proposing a reduction in Limits of 25% and the preservation of the right to fish in British territorial waters to within 6 miles of land.
The two parties reached an agreement in which they waived some of their demands, according to which European ships were allowed a total of 130,000 tons of fish annually during a transitional period of 5 and a half years, after which the next phase would be negotiated.
The dispute over fair competition standards was also resolved, and Europe was afraid that British companies would flood European markets with their products after taking advantage of the tax exemption, demanding that any trade dispute be the outcome of the European Supreme Court, which was rejected by the British, considering that it strikes the country's judicial sovereignty. Agreement to appoint a joint independent committee between the two parties to settle any commercial disputes between the two parties.
Each delegation abandoned its strictness in dealing with the so-called standards of food and agricultural products, as the European Union pledged that it would not resort to any unilateral step to block the doors to British products in the event of changing its standards, but rather it would entrust the matter to an independent committee to decide on this file.
The trade agreement is among the largest in the world, valued at 668 billion pounds (European).
Good news for the economy
And the specter of exit without an agreement remained vivid until the last hours of negotiations, prompting the Budget Office to issue an ultimatum saying that the British economy would lose 41 billion pounds over the next year and 300,000 jobs.
The announcement of reaching the agreement contributed to giving the financial markets the boost they need, especially after the announcement of a new strain of Corona virus, as the value of the pound sterling rose against the dollar.
According to the British Cabinet, the trade agreement is among the largest in the world, valued at 668 billion pounds.
However, not all economic sectors in Britain will benefit from this agreement.
For example, workers in the service sector, which contributes 80% of the British economy, will not benefit from free access to the European market, but will have to obtain equivalent qualifications and certificates from Europeans.
While joy reigns in the political paper of London, a state of anger and condemnation reigns in Scotland, which suffered a painful blow due to the failure of its potato production sector to benefit from free entry to the European market, and this sector is considered the most important in Scotland, with a turnover of 133 million pounds sterling, which is what Prompt Prime Minister Nicolas Sturgen to declare her rejection of this agreement and that it is against her country's interests.