BREXIT

After the UK’s exit from the Union on 1st February 2020, the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by the parties over the previous two years came into force. In sum, this Agreement extended the application of the acquis communautaire to the United Kingdom until 31st December 2020. However, the United Kingdom remained outside the Union and, consequently, outside the decision-making process.

The Council adopted a negotiating “mandate” on 25th February 2020 for the agreement on the future EU-UK relationships including areas such as fisheries, foreign policy, security and defence, public order and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, as well as the future trade relationships between the two sides which also establishes the need to ensure fair competition between the UK and the EU.

During 2020, and despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Union and the United

Kingdom were negotiating the Agreement that will govern the bilateral relations from 1st January 2021.

In the negotiations, the EU negotiating team led by Michel Barnier, defended the principles included in the “mandate” approved by the Council in the nine rounds of negotiations that took place with the UK representatives. There were also contacts at the highest level between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

These contacts at various levels resulted in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement which was agreed by the United Kingdom and the European Union on 24th December 2020, and which regulates the relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom from 1st January 2021.

SOURCE: Ministry of Labour, Migrations and Social Security, Government of Spain (Ministerio de Trabajo, Migraciones y Seguridad Social)