The ambassadors for the 27 member states of the European Union unanimously approved the provisional application of a post-Brexit trade agreement on 1 January, a German spokesman said. confirmed months.
Why does it matter: It is an expected but crucial step in eliminating a potentially catastrophic, “no agreement” Brexit on January 1, a few days after the British government and the European Commission announced that they had reached an astonishing breakthrough after months of stalled negotiations.
What to look for: The UK House of Commons will meet to vote on the deal on Wednesday.
- Opposition Labor leader Keir Starmer urged lawmakers to back the deal, but assured that Prime Minister Boris Johnson would have the votes he needed for the deal to pass through parliament.
- The European Parliament will vote on the full approval of the agreement in the new year, but will enter into force provisionally to avoid a Brexit on the rock on 1 January.
The whole picture: Even with the implementation of the agreement, which highlights many of the terms of the UK’s new relationship with its closest and largest trading partner, the British government he warned businesses and citizens to prepare for some “bad times” when the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.
Go deeper: The UK and the EU are reaching a historic post-Brexit trade deal