British Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during the questions session of the Prime Minister of the House of Commons in London, United Kingdom, September 4, 2019.
Jessica Taylor | © Parliament of the United Kingdom | Reuters
LONDON – British lawmakers have voted to approve the historic Brexit trade deal, which will be implemented on New Year’s Day.
The House of Commons, as expected, voted in favor of the agreement, and the country will exit the Brexit transition period with the EU at local time from 23:00 on Thursday.
Members of parliament supported the agreement with 521 votes in favor and 73 votes before the December 31 deadline. This represents a majority of 448. The bill will now move to the House of Lords, which is also expected to support it before receiving royal approval.
The opposition Labor Party backed the deal despite concerns, but there were some rebel MPs in Labor and the ruling Conservative Party.
The 1,246-page document, details of which are published on the British government’s website, and last-minute crowded negotiations have left little time for proper early control.
The Prime Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, expressed his disapproval of the agreement, and the British fishing industry gave him a frozen answer, accusing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of providing only a “fraction of what the UK has law in accordance with international law and what the government has repeatedly said it will ensure on behalf of the UK fishing industry. “
About 47 years after joining the European Union, the United Kingdom officially left the bloc on 31 January 2020. In doing so, it became the first nation to leave the EU. However, it agreed to continue to comply with European rules until the end of 2020, so that it can negotiate more friendly trade conditions with the other 27 nations.
On Christmas Eve, the two sides reached a “zero-rate tariff agreement” to facilitate trade in goods across the English Channel. It brought an exemption to exporters on both sides, which would have had to deal with higher tariffs and costs if no agreement had been reached.
The two sides have been involved in intense talks since March to determine how the trade will work starting in January. On Monday, EU ambassadors approved a provisional request for an agreement after working on the Christmas holidays. The EU parliament will vote on the agreement next month.