WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT IT... THEY’VE ONLY GONE AND DONE A DEAL!
DAVID Davis last night declared that a Brexit deal is “closer than ever before” as he agreed terms for Britain’s transition period.
The Brexit Secretary shook hands with EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on arrangements for the 21-month “implementation period” which kicks in when the UK leaves the bloc in March next year. The announcement was hailed as a “milestone” breakthrough in the talks.
Mr Davis and Mr Barnier agreed that Britain will be fully free of EU rules from December 2020, with the Government free to sign up to new trade deals from next year.
But ministers also faced criticism after making concessions to the EU that will prolong Brussels control over UK fishing waters and keep the country’s borders open to EU citizens throughout the transition period.
Mr Davis and Mr Barnier agreed their blueprint for the transition after intensive talks in Brussels over the weekend. The 129-page draft agreement is set to be approved by a summit of EU leaders in Brussels at the end of the week.
Mr Davis said: “The deal we have struck should give us confidence that a good deal for the UK and the EU is closer than ever before.”
Mr Barnier hailed the agreement as “a decisive step”. But he warned: “We are not at the end of the road and there is a lot of work still to be done on important subjects.”
The pair broke the deadlock in negotiations by agreeing to push back the search for a solution to the future of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – still a major stumbling block – until later in the negotiations.
Yesterday’s announcement allows PM Theresa May to negotiate, sign and ratify new free trade deals with other countries immediately after Brexit in March next year.
An attempt to exclude Gibraltar from the transition deal, put forward by Spain, was also dropped.
But British negotiators did make major concessions to seal yesterday’s deal. EU citizens will still be able to live, work and settle in the UK during the transition period, although they will have to sign a register if they stay for more than three months. It means the current Brussels free movement rules continue until December 2020.
And Britain will still be subject to EU fishing quotas during the transition period. The document stipulates only that the UK “shall be consulted in respect of fishing opportunities”.
Downing Street officials insisted Britain will quit the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy and negotiate fishing rights as “an independent nation” once the transition period ends.
Immediately after the deal was announced, the value of the pound rose by 1 per cent to 1.40 US dollars.
Business leaders last night welcomed the news. Confederation of British Industry director-general Carolyn Fairbairn said the agreement brought “a welcome gift of time” for firms in the UK and the EU.
She said: “Agreeing transition is a critical milestone that will provide many hundreds of businesses with the confidence to put their contingency planning on hold and keep investing in the UK.”
Eurosceptic Tory MPs also hailed the major step towards exiting the EU. Tory backbencher Peter Bone said: “I am pleased that we have made more progress. The Government has delivered what it promised within the timetable.
“I am also pleased that the transition period has been shrunk from the two years initially proposed to 21 months, meaning it will be over by the end of 2020, which is a significant improvement.”
Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman, another leading Eurosceptic, described the free movement and fishing clauses of the deal as “concerning” while insisting the overall deal was “a huge step forward”.
However, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson admitted “disappointment” that the industry would have to “wait until 2020 to assume full control” over fishing waters.
She said: “Having spoken to fishing leaders today, I know they are deeply frustrated with this outcome.”