Photographer at the European Parliament

Brexit: withdrawal agreement approved by the European Parliament

The withdrawal agreement was approved by the European Parliament on Wednesday evening, with 621 votes in favor, 49 against and 13 abstentions.

In a debate with the Croatian State Secretary for European Affairs representing the Council Presidency, Nikolina Brnjac, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the Parliament took stock of the withdrawal process to date and the challenges ahead.

Referring to the historic importance of the vote, most speakers on behalf of the political groups stressed that the UK's withdrawal did not mark the end of relations between the EU and the UK, and that the ties that bound the two peoples of Europe were and would continue to be strong. They also affirmed that there were lessons to be learned from the Brexit, to better shape the future of the EU, and thanked the UK and its MEPs for their contribution throughout the UK's membership. Many speakers warned that negotiations on the future relationship between the EU and the UK were going to be difficult, particularly given the timetable set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.

Parliament will have its say on the future of relations with the UK
The UK Coordination Group in Parliament, led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman David McAllister (EPP, DE), will liaise with the EU Task Force in charge of relations with the UK and coordinate with the International Trade Committee and all other relevant committees. The EP will closely monitor the work of the EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, and will continue to influence the negotiations through its resolutions. The final agreement must be approved by Parliament as a whole.

Quote
After the historic vote, President Sassoli declared: ''I am deeply saddened that we have reached this point. Fifty years of integration cannot dissolve so easily. We will have to work hard to build a new relationship, always focusing on the interests and protection of citizens' rights. Nothing will be easy. There will be difficult situations that will test our future relationship. We knew this from the start of the Brexit process. I am confident, however, that we will be able to transcend our differences and always find common ground.''

Next steps
To enter into force, the withdrawal agreement will be subject to a final vote (by qualified majority) in the Council.

The transition period starting on February 1 is due to expire at the end of December 2020. Any agreement on the future relationship between the EU and the UK will have to be reached before this date in order to enter into force on January 1, 2021.

The transition period may be extended once, for one or two years, but the decision to do so must be taken by the joint EU-UK commission before July 1.

Parliament will have to approve any future agreement concerning relations between the EU and the UK. If such an agreement concerns competences that the EU shares with Member States, ratification by national parliaments will also be required.

Background
The plenary vote follows the completion of the ratification process in the UK and the positive recommendation of the Constitutional Affairs Committee. The second part of the Withdrawal Agreement protects EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU, as well as their families. Under its provisions, all social security rights under EU law will be maintained, citizens' rights will be guaranteed throughout their lives, and the relevant administrative procedures must be transparent, smooth and streamlined. The implementation and application of these provisions will be supervised by an independent authority, with powers equivalent to those of the European Commission.

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Source : : European Parliament