EU, U. K. assess Brexit agreement
Both sides attempt to sell their constituents on the trade deal, which avoids the imposition of tariffs.
BRUSSELS — The fasttrack ratification of the post- Brexit trade deal between the United Kingdom and the European Union got underway on Christmas Day, as ambassadors from the bloc’s 27 nations started assessing the accord that takes effect in a week.
At Friday’s exceptional meeting, the ambassadors were briefed about the details of the draft treaty, which is thought to be 1,250 pages long, by the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier.
They are set to reconvene Monday and have informed lawmakers at the European Parliament that they intend to make a decision on the preliminary application of the deal within days.
While voicing their sadness at the rupture with Britain, EU leaders are relieved that the tortuous aftermath of the Brexit vote probably reached a conclusion with Thursday’s agreement over future trade ties.
All member states are expected to back the agreement, as is the European Parliament, which would give its consent retroactively, as it won’t reconvene until 2021. British lawmakers have to vote on the accord too and are being summoned next week to do so.
Both sides say the agreement protects their cherished goals.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the deal gives the U. K. control over its money, borders, laws and f ishing grounds. The EU said the deal protects its single market of 450 million people and contains safeguards to ensure that the U. K. does not unfairly undercut the bloc’s standards.
Johnson hailed the agreement as a “new beginning” for the U. K. in its relationship with European neighbors.
Opposition leaders, even those who are inclined to back the agreement because it’s better than a no- deal scenario, said it adds unnecessary costs on businesses and fails to provide a clear framework for the crucial services sector, which accounts for 80% of the British economy.
In a Christmas message, Johnson sought to sell the deal to a weary public after years of Brexit- related wrangling since the U. K. voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the EU. Although the U. K. formally left the bloc Jan. 31, it remains in a transition period tied to EU rules until the end of this year.
Without a deal, tariffs would have been imposed on trade between the two sides starting Jan. 1. Both sides would have suffered in that scenario, with the British economy taking a bigger hit, at least in the near term, as it is more reliant on trade with the EU than the other way around.
“I have a small present for anyone who may be looking for something to read in that sleepy post- Christmas lunch moment, and here it is: tidings, glad tidings of great joy, because this is a deal,” Johnson said in his video message, brandishing a sheaf of papers. “A deal to give certainty to business, travelers and all investors in our country from Jan. 1. A deal with our friends and partners in the EU.”
Though tariffs and quotas have been avoided, there will be more red tape because the U. K. is leaving the EU’s frictionless single market and customs union. Companies will have to f ile customs declarations for the first time in years. There will also be different rules on product labeling, as well as checks on agricultural products.
Despite those additional costs, many British businesses that export widely across the EU voiced relief that a deal was f inally in place and that the potentially cataclysmic imposition of tariffs had been avoided.
“While the deal is not fully comprehensive, it at least provides a foundation to build on in future,” said Laura Cohen, chief executive of the British Ceramic Confederation.
One sector that appears to be disappointed is the f ishing industry, with both sides voicing their discontent at the new arrangement. Arguments over f ishing rights were part of the holdup in reaching an agreement.
Under the terms of the deal, the EU will give up a quarter of the quota it catches in U. K. waters, far less than the 80% Britain initially demanded. The system will be phased in over 5 ½ years, after which the quota will be reassessed.
“In the end, it was clear that Boris Johnson wanted an overall trade deal and was willing to sacrifice f ishing,” said Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organizations.
The French government, which had fought hard for f ishing access, announced aid for its fishing industry to help compensate for the smaller quota but insisted that the deal protects French interests.
The president of the French ports of Calais and Boulogne- sur- Mer, JeanMarc Puissesseau, said no matter what is in the Brexit trade deal, life for his ports will become more difficult because “there will no longer be free movement of merchandise.”
Some 10,000 jobs in the Boulogne area are tied to f ishing and seafood processing, Puissesseau said, and about 70% of the seafood used comes from British waters.
“Without f ish, there is no business,” he said.