Photographer at the European Parliament

Brexit: the Withdrawal Agreement approved by the European Parliament.

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

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

Highlighting the historic significance of the vote, most of the speakers addressing the House on behalf of the political groups emphasised that the UK’s withdrawal did not mark the end of relations between the EU and the UK, and that the ties binding the two peoples of Europe were, and would continue to be, strong. They also stated that there were lessons to be learnt from Brexit to help shape the EU’s future, and thanked the UK and its MEPs for their contribution throughout the UK’s membership. Many speakers warned that the negotiations on future relations between the EU and the UK would be difficult, particularly given the timetable set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.

Parliament will have its say on the future of relations with the United Kingdom.
The UK Coordination Group in Parliament, led by the Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, David McAllister (EPP, DE), will liaise with the EU task force responsible for relations with the UK and coordinate with the Committee on International Trade and all other relevant committees. The European Parliament 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 will need to be approved by Parliament as a whole.

Citation
Following the historic vote, President Sassoli stated: ‘I am deeply saddened that we have reached this point. Fifty years of integration cannot be undone so easily. We will have to work tirelessly to build a new relationship, whilst always focusing on the interests and protection of citizens’ rights. Nothing will be straightforward. There will be difficult situations that will test our future relationship. We have known this since the beginning of the Brexit process. I am nevertheless certain that we will be able to rise above our differences and always find common ground.”

Next steps
In order to come into force, the withdrawal agreement will be put to a final vote (by qualified majority) in the Council.

The transition period, which begins on 1 February, is due to end at the end of December 2020. Any agreement on the future of relations between the EU and the UK must be concluded before that date in order to come into force on 1 January 2021.

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

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

Context
The plenary vote took place following the completion of the ratification process in the United Kingdom and the positive recommendation from the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. The second part of the Withdrawal Agreement protects EU citizens in the United Kingdom and British citizens in the EU, as well as their families. Under its provisions, all social security rights provided for by EU legislation will be maintained, citizens’ rights will be guaranteed throughout their lives, and the relevant administrative procedures must be transparent, seamless and streamlined. Implementation and enforcement will be overseen by an independent authority with powers equivalent to those of the European Commission.

Our professional photographer, Daïna Le Lardic, captured the Brexit event: the withdrawal agreement approved by the European Parliament. She documented the key moments inside the European Parliament.

Working as a professional photographer in Brussels within the European Union institutions requires a combination of experience, expertise and discretion. Institutional photography is a specialised field: it must capture and reflect emotions effectively without disrupting the event. The resulting photographs help convey your messages and values, and enable you to showcase your image, as well as that of your President, your senior management and the many people involved in your organisation.

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View Daïna LE LARDIC’s photo gallery on the European Parliament website.

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Source: website of the European Parliament