Chinanews.com, December 25th, a comprehensive report, 1645 days after the Brexit referendum was held in the United Kingdom, only one week after the end of the Brexit transition period, the two sides finally reached a "Brexit" trade agreement on Christmas Eve (full name EU-UK Trade and cooperation agreements) to avoid the chaos that may be caused by a no-deal Brexit.
In this regard, British Prime Minister Johnson stated that "we have regained our autonomy." While EU President Von der Lein was "relieved", he also felt "sad" for the loss of the long-term EU member Britain.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said that Britain and Europe reached a trade agreement, marking a new page in the relationship between Britain and the European Union.
Walked the 1645-day Brexit road!
The British government said it fulfilled its 2016 Brexit commitment
1645 days after the Brexit referendum was held in the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom and the European Union reached a historic Brexit trade agreement after more than nine months of arduous negotiations.
The British government issued a statement stating that at this point, the British government has finally completed the 2016 Brexit referendum and its promise to the public during the 2019 general election.
British Prime Minister Johnson posted a photo of himself holding his thumbs up and said, "Agreement is reached." (The picture is taken from Johnson's social media account.)
Subsequently, British Prime Minister Johnson posted a photo of himself on social media.
In the photo, he raised his thumbs up and said, "Agreement reached."
The British government issued a statement stating, “We have taken back control of our money, borders, laws, trade and fishing waters. The agreement is great news for British families and business. We are based on zero tariffs and With zero quotas, an unprecedented free trade agreement has been signed with the EU."
The statement pointed out, "This agreement also ensures that we are no longer affected by the EU, no longer subject to EU regulations, the European Court of Justice no longer plays any role, and all of our key red lines for regaining sovereignty are guaranteed." From January 2021, it will be completely free politically and economically."
Data map: European Commission President Von der Lein.
"The end is another beginning"
Von Delane: Brexit is a thing of the past
In a hurry to reach an agreement at the last minute, European Commission President von der Lein frankly said at the press conference that he felt “relieved”, saying that “we have gone through a long and tortuous road and have now reached a good agreement that can be presented. This agreement is fair and It takes all aspects into consideration, and it is a correct and responsible result for both parties."
"For some people, this is a difficult day. For our British friends, I want to say that parting is so sweet and sad," she quoted the British poet Eliot's verse as saying, "We call it the starting point. The place is often the end, and the end is another beginning. So, for all Europeans, I think it’s time to leave Brexit behind."
Barnier, the chief negotiator of the European Union, said that this was a "comforting day, but with a little sadness."
He regretted the British government's decision not to participate in the Erasmus student exchange program and the lack of cooperation in foreign policy and defense.
It is said that the agreement will be reviewed by EU leaders, but French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel have both stated that they believe the agreement will be implemented by the end of 2020.
The British Ministry of Transport announced on the evening of December 22, 2020 that the British and French governments have reached an agreement to reopen the border between Britain and France.
The picture shows passengers from London entering France on the "Eurostar" train.
Image source: ICphoto
From tariffs to visas...
What did the 2,000-page Anglo-European trade agreement talk about?
The British "Guardian" stated that the agreement, including attachments, is about 2,000 pages long and will come into effect after being approved by both parties.
According to the announcement issued by the European Commission, the core of the agreement is a "Europe-Britain Free Trade Agreement", covering EU-UK trade in goods and services, investment, competition, prohibition of state aid, taxation, transportation, energy, fishery and even data protection, social security coordination And so on.
The agreement clearly stated that after January 1, 2021, the two parties will implement zero tariffs and zero quotas on all commodities subject to the rules of origin; for the fishery issue that once became the “bottleneck” of the negotiations, the two parties will formulate new rules on joint management of fishery resources in European and British waters. Framework, taking into account the interests of each other’s fisheries and fishermen.
In the field of transportation, the agreement states that British companies will lose access to the EU single market after the UK’s formal “Brexit”, but the two parties will ensure the smooth flow of air, road, rail and maritime channels; in the energy field, the agreement says that both parties will build energy The new model of transaction and interconnection, but did not give more details.
In addition, British nationals no longer have the freedom to work, study, start a business or live in the EU.
A visa will be required for stays longer than 90 days.
At the same time, the agreement stated that both parties promised to provide high-level protection in areas such as environmental protection, climate change, labor rights, tax transparency, and prohibition of state aid, through effective law enforcement, the establishment of a binding dispute settlement mechanism, and the use of trade remedy measures. Effectively maintain a fair competition environment in Europe and Britain.
Data map: Big Ben, Great Britain.
Britain-Europe trade agreement reached = Brexit ended?
British Prime Minister Johnson stated that the British Parliament will vote on whether to approve the trade agreement with the European Union on December 30, 2020.
The leader of the British opposition Labor Party, Kil Starmer, said that when the Brexit trade agreement reached by Prime Minister Johnson and the European Union is passed to Congress for a vote, the Labor Party will vote in favor.
According to the EU procedure, the "Brexit" trade agreement will then be reviewed by the European Council and the European Parliament. However, since the EU and Britain reached an agreement at the last minute, it is almost impossible for the European Council and the European Parliament to arrive in January 2021. The review was completed one day before.
The European Commission stated in the announcement that it was “due to special circumstances” and recommended that this agreement be implemented temporarily from January 1 to February 28, 2021, while waiting for the approval of the European Council and the European Parliament, while ensuring that the UK will not “hit out” Europe".
According to the New York Times, analysts said that Brexit will hinder the economic recovery of the UK after the epidemic.
It is predicted that in the long run, leaving the EU will shrink the British economy by 4%.
In the short term, trade between Britain and Europe will also be disrupted.
The "Central News Agency" analysis stated that the withdrawal of the United Kingdom requires sovereignty, and the "broken up" EU said that it has guaranteed its interests, but both sides also face severe challenges in the post-Brexit era.
In the EU, the UK’s contribution to the EU’s budget and its influence in international politics and military affairs are important assets, and the departure of the UK is bound to have an impact.
As for the United Kingdom, in addition to the severe impact of the epidemic and the economic uncertainty in 2021, the Scottish issue may also be an issue.
Britain officially "Brexit" on January 31, 2020, and then entered an 11-month transition period.
The two sides launched negotiations on future relations with a trade agreement as the core in March.