European leaders have finally approved a deal on the UK’s departure from the EU during an emergency summit in Brussels. The agreement now has to be endorsed– or rejected – by British parliament.
The UK/EU agreement consists of two key documents. The first, a 585-page withdrawal paper, will guide both sides all the way up to Britain’s departure from the bloc, which is set for March 29, 2019.
The legally binding text covers the UK’s hefty “multi-billion divorce bill,” citizens’ rights, and a number of measures to ensure there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and EU member state Ireland.
Starting from March 2019, Britain will enter a transition period set to last until December 2020.
The second, a non-binding document, is a political declaration that outlines aspirations for the future, including maintaining trade relationships, common foreign and defense policies, as well as close ties in law enforcement and criminal justice.
Spain threatened at the last minute to withdraw from the summit until it was given assurances over trade arrangements with Gibraltar – a British overseas territory with 30,000 residents. However, Madrid dropped the threat after receiving guarantees from the UK government.
In a press conference following the endorsement, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Tusk, and EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier stressed that the deal is absolutely the best one possible, and that the EU will remain friends with the UK?
British Prime Minister Theresa May also touted the deal as the best one available, while still coming across as trying to launch a last ditch attempt to safeguard the agreement.
The UK can have a “bright future” with the deal or more time of “uncertainty” if it fails to pass through the British government. The swords have been crossed as May threats have been made clear.
May announced that British MPs will have their say on it before Christmas. That vote has been labeled by the UK PM as the “most significant” one that parliament has held in years.
May met with EU officials earlier this week to secure their backing ahead of the summit. However back at home, she faces strong opposition to her Brexit deal, which she claims is the best available.
If the British MP’s reject the agreement, the UK will have to leave the EU with no deal as the departure date can not be altered.
Other options proposed by MPs include holding another referendum or a snap general election if May becomes overwhelmed by motions of no-confidence.
The EU has been a huge failure. There is no reason why every State shouldn’t be able to just walk away. They owe the unelected leaders in Brussels nothing.
The banksters wanted this split for many reasons. Remember the Bilderberg meeting just before the referendum? The world forgot about it. All has been set at that meeting and regardless of what happens, the path is laid out to be executed.
RT.com / ABC Flash Point Separation News 2018.
